Final Grade Calculator
Letter grade bands
US scale| A+ | 97 and up |
| A | 93 – 96.9 |
| A− | 90 – 92.9 |
| B+ | 87 – 89.9 |
| B | 83 – 86.9 |
| B− | 80 – 82.9 |
| C+ | 77 – 79.9 |
| C | 73 – 76.9 |
| C− | 70 – 72.9 |
| D+ | 67 – 69.9 |
| D | 60 – 66.9 |
| F | below 60 |
The letter beside your average uses these common US bands — your school's cutoffs may differ. Averages round half up to two decimals, the way most gradebooks do.
Enter your grade going into the final, how much the final counts, and the grade you're aiming for. You get the exact score you need, and a plain answer when the grade is already safe or can't be reached on the final alone.
The maths
How the score you need is calculated
Your course grade after the final is a blend: everything before it keeps its share, and the final takes its weight. Solving that blend for the final's score gives:
needed = (target − current × (1 − w)) ÷ wCurrent is your grade going in, target is the grade you want at the end, and w is the final's weight as a decimal (25% is 0.25). The answer lands you exactly on target, rounded half up to two decimals.
Reaching a grade: on 78 with a final worth 30%, aiming for 80 → (80 − 78×0.7) ÷ 0.3 = 84.67.
Keeping a grade: on 92 with a final worth 15%, keeping a 90 → (90 − 92×0.85) ÷ 0.15 = 78.67.
Already safe: on 95 with a final worth 10%, keeping an 85 → even a zero leaves 95×0.9 = 85.5.
Out of reach: on 85 with a final worth 20%, aiming for 90 → (90 − 85×0.8) ÷ 0.2 = 110, more than the final can give.
How much the final's weight matters
The score needed on the final when you go in with an 85, to finish on at least each grade (common US cutoffs):
| Final's weight | 70 (C−) | 80 (B−) | 90 (A−) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10% | already safe | 35 | 135: out of reach |
| 20% | 10 | 60 | 110: out of reach |
| 30% | 35 | 68.33 | 101.67: out of reach |
| 40% | 47.5 | 72.5 | 97.5 |
| 50% | 55 | 75 | 95 |
A light final barely moves a grade, so a higher grade can be out of reach while a lower one is already safe. A heavy final can move a grade a long way in either direction. To average your tests first, use the test average calculator; its weights work the same way.
Answers
Frequently asked questions
How do I find out how much my final is worth?
Look in the syllabus or course outline, where the grading breakdown lists each part's share: “Final exam: 20%” means a weight of 20. If the final sits inside a category, such as tests worth 40% with the final counting as two of eight tests, its weight is its share of that category: 40 × 2 ÷ 8 = 10. When the breakdown isn't written down, ask your teacher; it's the one number this calculation can't guess.
My class uses points, not percentages. Does this still work?
Yes, after two conversions. Your current grade is the points you've earned divided by the points possible so far: 405 of 450 is 90%. The final's weight is its points divided by the course total including the final: a 150-point final in a 600-point course is 25%. Enter 90 and 25, and the answer is the percentage of the final's points you need.
What score do I need on my final to pass?
Set the grade you want to your school's passing line, often 60 or 70. Going in with a 58 and a final worth 25%, reaching 60 takes (60 − 58 × 0.75) ÷ 0.25 = 66 on the final. If the calculator says the grade is already safe, you pass even with a zero.
What do I need on the final to keep an A?
Set the grade you want to your class's A cutoff, often 90 or 93. On a 94 with a final worth 20%, keeping a 90 takes (90 − 94 × 0.8) ÷ 0.2 = 74 on the final, and keeping a 93 takes 89.
Should my current grade include the final?
No: enter your grade from everything before the final. Some gradebooks count a final that hasn't been graded yet as a zero, which drags the grade they show far down. If your grade fell sharply when the final appeared in the gradebook, average your other work instead and enter that.
What if my teacher drops my lowest score or curves the final?
The calculator assumes the final counts for exactly its weight on top of everything else. A dropped lowest score, a final that replaces a test, or a curve can all lower the score you really need, so the number here is the safe one. If you're close to a grade line, ask how your teacher's policy works.