Final Grade Calculator

Interactive planning tool

Final Grade Calculator

Enter your current grade, what grade you want to achieve, and how much your final exam is worth.

Current Grade (%) Desired Class Grade (%) Final Exam Weight (%)

The end of the semester is stressful enough without having to guess what you need to score on your final exam. Our Final Grade Calculator does the math for you instantly, helping you prioritize your study time for the exams that matter most.

How to use the Final Grade Calculator

Current Grade: Look at your syllabus or student portal and enter your current overall grade percentage before taking the final exam.
Desired Grade: Enter the final percentage you want to achieve in the class (e.g., 90% for an A, 80% for a B, or 70% to pass).
Final Exam Weight: Enter what percentage of your total course grade the final exam is worth (usually between 15% and 30%). Check your syllabus for the exact weight.

Formula Used

If you prefer to do the math manually, here is the standard algebraic formula we use to calculate your required final score:

Required Final Score = [Desired Grade - Current Grade × (1 - Final Weight)] / Final Weight

For example, if you have an 85% in the class, want a 90%, and the final is worth 20% (0.20), the math is: [90 - (85 * 0.8)] / 0.20 = [90 - 68] / 0.20 = 22 / 0.20 = 110%. You would need 110% on the final to get an A, which requires extra credit.

Tips for Finals Week

If the calculator tells you that you need over 100%, it might be time to speak to your professor about extra credit opportunities or adjust your expectations. If you only need a very low score to keep your current grade (e.g., 40%), you can afford to allocate more study time to your harder classes where your grade is borderline!

Frequently asked questions

What if my final exam is worth points instead of a percentage?

If your class uses a points system instead of weighted percentages, you can calculate the final exam weight yourself. Simply divide the total points the final exam is worth by the total points in the entire course. For example, if the final is worth 100 points out of 500 total points for the semester, the final exam weight is 20%.

Does this calculator work for college and high school?

Yes, this calculator works for any grading system that uses percentages. Whether you are in middle school, high school, or a university undergraduate or graduate program, the mathematical formula remains exactly the same.

Final Grade Calculator