What do I need on my final?
Enter your grade going into the final, how much the final counts and the grade you want. You get the exact score you need, plus what it takes for an A, B, C or D.
The final exam formula
Your course grade is a mix of everything before the final and the final itself. Solve that mix for the final score.
Needed on final = (Target − Current × (1 − w)) ÷ ww is the final’s weight as a decimal: 20% is 0.20. Current and Target are percents.
- Find your current gradeUse the class average from your grade portal before the final is entered, like 78%.
- Find the final’s weightYour syllabus lists it. A final worth 20% means everything else counts for the other 80%.
- Do the mathFor a B (80%) with 78% now and a 20% final: (80 − 78 × 0.80) ÷ 0.20 = (80 − 62.4) ÷ 0.20 = 88%.
If the answer is above 100%, that grade is out of reach unless your teacher gives extra credit. If it is 0% or less, you already have that grade, even with a zero on the final. The calculator rounds the needed score up to the next tenth so a rounding error never leaves you short.
Score needed on a final worth 20%
Each cell is the final exam score you need to finish with that letter. “Locked in” means you have it even with a 0 on the final.
| Current grade | A (90%) | B (80%) | C (70%) | D (60%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60% | Over 100% | Over 100% | Over 100% | 60% |
| 65% | Over 100% | Over 100% | 90% | 40% |
| 70% | Over 100% | Over 100% | 70% | 20% |
| 75% | Over 100% | 100% | 50% | Locked in |
| 80% | Over 100% | 80% | 30% | Locked in |
| 85% | Over 100% | 60% | 10% | Locked in |
| 90% | 90% | 40% | Locked in | Locked in |
| 95% | 70% | 20% | Locked in | Locked in |
Letters follow the common 90/80/70/60 scale. Many schools use other cutoffs or plus and minus grades, so check your school’s grading policy and your syllabus.
Questions students ask
- What do I need on my final to get an A?
- Put 90 (or your class’s A cutoff) in the formula: (90 − current × (1 − w)) ÷ w. With a 78% average and a final worth 20%, you would need 138%, so an A is out of reach without extra credit. With an 88% average, you would need 98%.
- Why is the score I need over 100%?
- Your grade before the final is too far below the target for the final to close the gap. Even a perfect score only moves your grade by the final’s weight. Aim for the next letter down, and ask your teacher whether extra credit or a curve is possible.
- What if my class uses points instead of percents?
- Divide the points you have by the points possible so far to get your current percent, then divide the final’s points by the total points in the course to get its weight. For example, a 200-point final in a 1,000-point course is worth 20%.
- Does the final replace my lowest test?
- Some teachers do that, and then this formula does not apply. Work out your grade both ways with the weighted grade calculator, or ask your teacher how the final is counted.
- Will my teacher round 89.5% up to an A?
- Some do and some don’t. This calculator never rounds a grade up; it treats 89.5% as a B. Check your school’s grading policy before you count on rounding.