Free grading calculator
Final Exam Grade Calculator
Enter the current grade, how much the final exam is worth and the grade you want to finish with. You'll see the score needed on the final, plus the score for every letter grade.
- Free, no sign-up
- Updates as you type
- Nothing leaves your device
Final exam grade calculator
Score needed on the final
To finish with 80%, you need 68% on a final worth 25% of the grade.
| To finish with | You need on the final |
|---|---|
| A (93%) | 120% (not possible) |
| A- (90%) | 108% (not possible) |
| B (83%) | 80% |
| B- (80%) | 68% |
| C (73%) | 40% |
| C- (70%) | 28% |
| D (60%) | 0% (already safe) |
The formula behind the calculator
If the final exam is worth w% of the course grade, the rest of the course is worth (100 − w)%. The score you need on the final is the target grade minus what you already have, divided by the final's weight:
- Weight of everything except the final
100% − 25% = 75% - What the current grade contributes
84% × 0.75 = 63 points - Points still needed for an 80%
80 − 63 = 17 points - Divide by the final's weight
17 ÷ 0.25 = 68% on the final
How to read the results
Over 100%. The target can't be reached with the final alone. The student would need extra credit, a retake policy, or a different target.
0% or below ("already safe"). The student keeps that grade even if they score zero on the final. This is a good moment to remind them that a very low final can still pull them below the next grade up.
Somewhere in between. This is the honest number to give a student who asks "what do I need?". Showing the whole table, from an A down to passing, helps students set a realistic goal instead of fixating on one grade.
When this calculator won't match your gradebook
The calculator assumes the final is one weighted category and that the current grade already includes everything else. It won't match if your class uses total points (where the final's weight depends on how many points it has compared with the rest of the term), if more assignments will be graded before the final, or if your school replaces a low quarter grade with the exam grade. In those cases, use the weighted grade calculator and enter the final as its own category.
Final grade calculator FAQ
What do I need on my final to get an A?
It depends on your current grade and the final's weight. With an 88% and a final worth 20%, you need (93 − 88 × 0.8) ÷ 0.2 = 113% for a 93% A, which isn't possible, but (90 − 70.4) ÷ 0.2 = 98% for a 90% A-.
How much can a final exam change my grade?
At most by the final's weight. A final worth 20% can move a grade by up to 20 percentage points in either direction, but in practice the change is the gap between your final score and your current grade, multiplied by the weight.
What if my class uses points instead of weights?
Divide the points the final is worth by the total points in the course to get its weight as a percentage, then use this calculator.
Does this work for semester grades?
Yes, if the semester exam is a fixed percentage of the semester grade. Enter the semester grade before the exam as the current grade.