Find out what grade you need on your final exam, predict your final course grade, or calculate your current weighted grade from assignments and course weights.
What Do You Want to Calculate?
Choose a mode, enter your numbers, and press Calculate.
%
%
%
This shortcut only fills in an example percentage above.
Letter-grade cutoffs vary by school and instructor. Use the percentage goal from your syllabus when available.
%
%
%
Your instructor's grading scale may differ from the example scale used for the letter grade shown in the result.
Course Categories
Category
Grade %
Weight %
If your completed categories total less than 100% of the course, the calculator shows your current grade on the weight you have completed so far instead of assuming the rest is a zero.
Assignments
Assignment
Points Earned
Points Possible
Use this mode only if your course awards raw points rather than category percentage weights. Your syllabus should say which method your instructor uses.
If you know your current grade, how much your final exam is worth, and the course grade you want, you can calculate the exact final exam score you need.
The key is remembering that your current grade and final exam do not usually count equally. If the final is worth 30% of your course, then everything you have completed before the final accounts for the other 70%.
Example
Suppose your current grade is 78%, your final exam is worth 30% of the course, and your desired final course grade is 80%.
Your current work contributes: 78 × 0.70 = 54.6 percentage points.
To finish with 80%, you still need: 80 − 54.6 = 25.4 percentage points.
Those remaining points must come from the 30% final: 25.4 ÷ 0.30 = 84.67%.
So you need approximately 84.7% on the final exam to finish the course with an 80%.
Visual: How the Final Exam Weight Splits Your Course Grade
Example using a 78% current grade, a final worth 30% of the course, and an 80% target grade. Enter your own numbers in the calculator above for your own result.
How the final exam weight example breaks down
Component
Value
Course already completed
70% of the grade
Final exam
30% of the grade
Current grade contribution
78% times 70% equals 54.6 percentage points
Remaining points needed
80% minus 54.6 equals 25.4 percentage points
Required final score
25.4 divided by 30% equals 84.7%
That is the main problem this Grade Calculator is designed to solve. You can also work in the opposite direction by entering an expected exam grade to see what final course grade it would produce.
Final Grade Calculator Formula
The formula for finding the grade needed on a final exam is:
Required Final Exam Grade =
[Target Course Grade − Current Grade × (1 − Final Exam Weight)] ÷ Final Exam Weight
The final weight must be entered as a decimal inside the formula. For example, 30% = 0.30, 25% = 0.25, and 40% = 0.40.
The same relationship can be written as:
Final Course Grade =
Current Grade × Completed Weight + Final Exam Grade × Final Exam Weight
Those formulas describe the same weighted-average relationship. One solves for the final course grade. The other rearranges the equation to solve for the exam score you still need.
Watch: How to Calculate the Grade You Need on Your Final Exam
Prefer to see the algebra worked out visually? Mario's Math Tutoring walks through how to solve for the score needed on a final exam to reach a desired class grade.
Sometimes the calculation produces an answer such as 108%, 115%, or 127%. That does not mean the calculator failed. It means the target grade cannot be reached using the remaining final exam weight if the normal maximum exam score is 100%.
Example
Suppose your current grade is 70%, your final exam is worth 20%, and your target is 80%.
Current work contributes: 70 × 0.80 = 56.
You need: 80 − 56 = 24 more course percentage points. The final is only worth 20%.
24 ÷ 0.20 = 120%. A normal 100% final exam would therefore not be enough to reach an 80% overall.
A useful calculator should not stop at "You need 120%." Instead, it should calculate your highest possible final course grade if you score 100% on the exam. In this example: 70 × 0.80 + 100 × 0.20 = 76%. So 76% would be the highest calculated course grade under those assumptions.
That gives you useful information instead of an impossible number with no explanation.
What if the Calculator Says I Need 0% or Less?
The opposite can happen too. The formula may say you need 0%, or even a mathematically negative score. That means your previous work has already contributed enough weighted points to reach the target, even if the final contributes zero additional points.
That does not mean you should automatically skip the exam. Your syllabus may require the final, your instructor may have a minimum-exam rule, attendance policies may apply, or another course condition may matter. The calculator is showing the weighted-average math, not determining your instructor's rules.
What Will My Final Grade Be?
You can also use a grade calculator when you already have an expected final exam score.
Example
Suppose your current grade is 84%, your final exam is worth 25%, and your expected final exam score is 90%.
The portion of the course already completed is 75%.
Current contribution: 84 × 0.75 = 63. Final contribution: 90 × 0.25 = 22.5.
This "what if" calculation is useful before an exam because it lets you see how several possible exam results would affect your overall grade.
Visual: Final Score What-If Chart
The calculator above builds this same what-if comparison dynamically using your own current grade, final weight, and target grade.
Projected final course grade at six example final exam scores
Final Exam Score
Projected Final Course Grade
50%
71.5%
60%
74%
70%
76.5%
80%
81%
90%
85.5%
100%
88%
Instead of asking only "What do I need?" you can ask "What happens if I score 70%?", "What happens if I score 80%?", or "What happens if I score 90%?" That can make the impact of the final much easier to understand.
Why Final Exam Weight Matters
A final worth 10% of the course cannot change your grade as dramatically as a final worth 50%. Imagine your current grade is 80%. If a final is worth only 10%, then 90% of your course grade has already been determined by the work represented in your current average. If the final is worth 50%, half of the course is still mathematically undecided.
That is why two students with the same current grade and the same target could need completely different final exam scores. Always use the final-exam percentage listed in the syllabus or provided by your instructor. Do not guess.
What Is a Weighted Grade?
A weighted grade gives different assignments or categories different amounts of influence over the final course grade. For example: Homework 20%, Quizzes 15%, Midterm 25%, Project 15%, Final 25%. Those percentages total 100%. A category worth 25% affects the course grade more than one worth 15%.
Visual: A Weighted Course
Categories do not all count equally. A category's width here represents its share of the course grade.
Example weighted course categories
Category
Weight
Homework
20%
Quizzes
15%
Midterm
25%
Project
15%
Final
25%
If your homework grade is 90% and homework is worth 20%: 90 × 0.20 = 18. Homework contributes 18 percentage points toward the course grade. If your midterm grade is 80% and the midterm is worth 25%: 80 × 0.25 = 20. The midterm contributes 20 percentage points. Continue the same process for every category and add the contributions.
How to Calculate a Weighted Grade
Weighted Grade = Sum of each Grade × its Weight
If all course weights total 100%, no further normalization is required.
Suppose you earn 95% on homework and 75% on your final exam. A simple average would be: 95 + 75 = 170, 170 ÷ 2 = 85%. But imagine homework is worth only 10% and the final is worth 50%. Those two grades do not carry equal influence. A simple average ignores their course weights.
Visual: Simple Average vs. Weighted Average
The taller, wider box represents the final exam's larger share of the course grade.
Simple average compared with the effect of course weights
Item
Score
Weight
Homework
95%
10%
Final exam
75%
50%
Simple (unweighted) average
85%
not applicable
This is one of the most common mistakes students make when calculating course grades manually. If your syllabus uses weighted categories, use the weights. If each score should instead count equally rather than having different weights, our Average Calculator may be the more appropriate tool.
What Is My Current Grade if the Course Is Not Finished?
This question can become confusing when only part of the course has been completed. Suppose you have Homework 90% at 20% weight, Quizzes 80% at 20% weight, and Midterm 85% at 25% weight. The entered categories account for 65% of the course.
Their weighted contributions are 18, 16, and 21.25. Total: 55.25 percentage points. If you divided by the full 100% course, you would incorrectly report 55.25%. That would treat the unfinished 35% as though you scored zero.
Instead, calculate the current grade on completed weight: 55.25 ÷ 0.65 = 85%. Current grade on completed coursework: 85%. The remaining 35% of the course is still unresolved. This is why the calculator displays both the current grade on completed work and the percentage of course weight completed.
What if My Course Weights Do Not Add Up to 100%?
There are two different situations. If the course is still in progress, the completed categories may legitimately total less than 100%. The calculator can normalize the completed weight to estimate your current grade.
If you are trying to calculate the entire finished course, however, the full course weights should normally add to 100%. If the weights total more than 100%, you may have duplicated a category or entered a syllabus percentage incorrectly. The calculator should warn you rather than silently changing your entries.
Points-Based Grades vs. Weighted Grades
Not every course uses weighted percentages. Some courses simply award points. For example: Homework 18 out of 20, Quiz 45 out of 50, Midterm 82 out of 100. Total earned: 18 + 45 + 82 = 145. Total possible: 20 + 50 + 100 = 170. Current grade: 145 ÷ 170 × 100 = 85.29%.
Visual: Points-Based vs. Weighted
A points-based course and a weighted course use different math. Check your syllabus to see which one your instructor uses.
Points-based calculation compared with weighted calculation
Method
Formula
Points-based course
Earned points divided by possible points
Weighted course
Category score multiplied by category weight, summed across categories
This method is different from a category-weighted course. Your syllabus should tell you which grading method is used. If your instructor says "Tests are 40% of the course," use weighted grades. If the syllabus says "The course has 1,000 total points," a points-based calculation may be more appropriate. If you need to convert points earned into a percentage first before comparing it to a weighted target, our Percentage Calculator can help.
How to Calculate Your Final Course Grade
If your final exam is the only grade remaining, the calculation is straightforward. Take current grade times completed weight, and add final exam grade times final weight.
Example
Current 88%, final worth 40%, exam score 80%. Completed weight: 60%.
Current contribution: 88 × 0.60 = 52.8. Final contribution: 80 × 0.40 = 32.
Course grade: 52.8 + 32 = 84.8%. That is the estimated final course grade.
What Score Do I Need to Pass?
To answer this, you need to know what percentage counts as passing in your course. Do not assume that 60%, 70%, or another number is universally considered passing. Your instructor or school determines the grading scale. Once you know the required course percentage, enter it as your target grade. If passing requires 70%, use 70%. If your syllabus says 60%, use 60%. The calculator will determine what final exam score is mathematically required.
What Score Do I Need for an A?
The same rule applies. An A does not always begin at the same percentage. One course might define A as 90%. Another might use 93%. Another may use a different grading system entirely. Use the actual percentage required by your instructor. If your target is 93%, enter 93. The calculator can then determine the exam grade needed.
What Is My Final Grade?
"Final grade" can mean two things. It may mean your score on the final exam, or it may mean your final overall course grade. This page distinguishes between them.
Final Exam Grade: the percentage you earn on the final test itself.
Final Course Grade: the overall grade after the final exam is combined with the rest of your coursework.
This distinction matters when entering calculator values. If you want to calculate semester, cumulative, weighted high-school, or target GPA rather than a course percentage, use our GPA Calculator.
How Letter Grades Are Determined
Many U.S. schools use some variation of A, B, C, D, F, and some use plus and minus grades. But there is no single percentage-to-letter conversion that applies to every course. One example scale may use the ranges below. Another instructor may use 90 to 100 as A. There may also be curves, rounding rules, minimum-exam requirements, or school-specific grading systems. That is why CalculateThisWay labels any built-in letter-grade conversion as an example scale. Your syllabus remains the best source for the actual cutoff.
Letter Grade
Example Percentage Range
A
93 to 100
A-
90 to 92.99
B+
87 to 89.99
B
83 to 86.99
B-
80 to 82.99
C+
77 to 79.99
C
73 to 76.99
C-
70 to 72.99
D+
67 to 69.99
D
63 to 66.99
D-
60 to 62.99
F
below 60
What Is a Grade Curve?
A curve changes how raw scores are translated into course grades. There is no single curve formula. An instructor might add points, adjust cutoffs, scale the highest score, use statistical methods, drop certain assignments, or apply another method. Because the calculator cannot know a curve that has not yet been defined, calculations should use the raw grading rules entered by the student. If your instructor applies a curve later, the official grade may differ.
Can Extra Credit Change the Calculation?
Yes, but the effect depends on how the instructor treats extra credit. Possible systems include adding raw points, adding percentage points, creating an extra-credit category, allowing a score above 100% on an assignment, or excluding extra credit from the denominator. There is no universal method. Do not automatically add extra credit unless you understand how the course applies it.
Should I Include Dropped Assignments?
Only if they still count toward the official grade. Some classes drop the lowest quiz, the lowest homework assignment, one test, or several small assignments. If an assignment has officially been dropped, it normally should not continue affecting the calculator. However, check your syllabus because policies differ.
Why Does My Learning Management System Show a Different Grade?
Canvas, Blackboard, Moodle, Schoology, Google Classroom, and other gradebook systems can calculate grades differently depending on instructor settings. Possible reasons include missing assignments counted as zero, missing assignments excluded, weighted categories, dropped scores, extra credit, unpublished assignments, final exam not yet included, rounding, grade curves, and category rules. This calculator can reproduce the math you enter, but it cannot automatically know every setting inside your instructor's gradebook. If there is a discrepancy, use the syllabus and instructor's official gradebook as the authoritative source.
Should I Round My Grade?
Do not round too early. Keep full precision during the calculation. Round the final displayed answer at the end. For example, 84.666666... can display as 84.7% or 84.67% depending on the calculator's presentation. Your instructor may use a different rounding policy. A calculated 89.96% does not automatically become an A if the instructor does not round grades.
Can a Final Exam Lower My Grade?
Yes. A final exam contributes weighted points to your course grade. If your exam percentage is lower than your current average and the final carries enough weight, your overall course grade can decrease. The larger the final's weight, the more influence it has. The What-If table on this page lets you see that effect before the exam.
Can a Final Exam Raise My Grade?
Yes. A final score above your current average can raise the final course grade. How much it raises the grade depends on the final's weight. A 95% final worth 10% has less influence than the same 95% final worth 40%. This is exactly why the weight belongs in the calculation.
How to Use This Calculator Before Finals Week
Start by checking your syllabus. Find your current grade, the final exam percentage, and your desired course grade. Then enter those numbers in What Grade Do I Need on My Final? Review the required score, the formula, the What-If table, and the maximum achievable grade if your target is out of reach.
If you simply want to know what would happen with a certain exam score, use What Will My Final Grade Be? If your course gradebook is complicated, use the Weighted Grade mode and enter the category weights from your syllabus.
The Bottom Line
A final grade calculator helps answer one of the most common questions students have near the end of a course: "What grade do I need on my final?" The calculation depends on three numbers: your current grade, your target grade, and how much the final is worth.
A weighted grade calculator can also help determine your current standing when assignments, quizzes, projects, and exams count differently. The most important thing is to use the grading system your instructor actually uses.
CalculateThisWay should show you the math, explain impossible or already-secured targets, and help you test different outcomes rather than simply returning one unexplained number.
Grade Questions, Answered Quickly
Question
Quick Answer
What grade do I need on my final?
Enter your current grade, final exam weight, and target course grade. The calculator solves the weighted average equation for the exam score you still need.
How do I calculate my final course grade?
Multiply your current grade by the percentage of the course already completed, multiply your final exam score by the final's weight, then add the two contributions.
What if I need more than 100% on the final?
That means the target is mathematically unreachable from the final alone under the values entered. The calculator will also show your highest possible final course grade with a 100% exam score.
How do weighted grades work?
Multiply each grade by the percentage of the course it represents, then add the weighted contributions.
Why doesn't my calculator grade match Canvas or Blackboard?
Your course system may use missing-assignment rules, category weights, drops, curves, extra credit, or rounding rules that differ from the entries in this calculator.
Worked Grade Examples
The examples below use the exact same calculation engine as the calculator above. Values are computed live in JavaScript rather than typed in as fixed text, so they will always match what the calculator itself would return for these inputs.
Example 1: What Do I Need?
Current 78%. Final worth 30%. Target 80%.
Example 2: What Will My Final Grade Be?
Current 84%. Final worth 25%. Exam 90%.
Example 3: Impossible Target
Current 70%. Final worth 20%. Target 80%.
Example 4: Weighted Course
Homework 95%/20%. Quizzes 85%/20%. Midterm 80%/25%. Project 90%/15%. Final 82%/20%.
Enter your current grade, final exam weight, and target course grade in the Final Grade Needed mode above. The calculator solves the weighted average equation for the exam score you still need.
How do I calculate the grade I need on my final?
Multiply your current grade by the portion of the course already completed, subtract that from your target grade, then divide the remainder by your final exam weight.
What is a final grade calculator?
A final grade calculator is a tool that solves the weighted average equation connecting your current grade, your final exam weight, and your target course grade, so you do not have to work the algebra by hand.
What is my final grade?
It depends on which final grade you mean. It can refer to the score you earn on the final exam itself, or to your overall final course grade after the exam is combined with the rest of your coursework.
What is the difference between a final exam grade and final course grade?
A final exam grade is the percentage you earn on the final test alone. A final course grade is the overall grade for the entire class after the final exam is combined with everything else.
How do I calculate my final course grade?
Multiply your current grade by the weight of everything already completed, multiply your final exam score by the final exam weight, then add the two results together.
What happens if I score 80% on my final?
Use the Final Course Grade mode and enter 80 as your expected exam score. The calculator applies your final exam weight to show the resulting overall course grade.
What happens if I score 90% on my final?
Enter 90 as your expected exam score in the Final Course Grade mode. The What-If table in the Final Grade Needed mode also shows this scenario alongside several others.
What happens if I fail my final?
Enter a low or 0% exam score in the Final Course Grade mode to see how much it could lower your overall course grade, based on how much weight the final carries.
Can I still pass if I fail the final?
It depends on your current grade, your final exam weight, and your school's passing percentage. Enter your numbers with a 0% exam score in the Final Course Grade mode to see the resulting course grade.
What score do I need to pass?
Enter your course's official passing percentage as your target grade in the Final Grade Needed mode. Do not assume 60% or 70% is universal, since passing percentages vary by school and instructor.
What score do I need for an A?
Enter the percentage your instructor defines as an A as your target grade. A grades do not start at the same percentage in every course, so use your syllabus rather than a generic cutoff.
What score do I need for a B?
Enter the percentage your instructor uses for a B as your target grade. As with an A, the exact cutoff for a B can differ between schools and instructors.
What if I need more than 100% on my final?
That means the target cannot be reached with the remaining final exam weight if the maximum normal exam score is 100%. The calculator also shows the highest possible course grade you could reach with a 100% final.
What does it mean if I need a negative score on my final?
It means your previous coursework has already secured the target mathematically, even if the final contributes zero additional points. Your instructor may still require the exam, so check your syllabus.
How much can a final raise my grade?
It depends on the final exam's weight and how much higher your exam score is than your current grade. A final worth more of the course has more power to raise your overall grade.
How much can a final lower my grade?
A final worth a large share of the course can lower your overall grade significantly if your exam score falls below your current average, since it carries more weighted influence.
Why does final exam weight matter?
The final exam weight determines how much of your course grade is still undecided. A final worth 10% of the course cannot move your grade as much as a final worth 50%.
What is a weighted grade?
A weighted grade is a course grade built from categories that count different amounts, such as homework, quizzes, a midterm, and a final exam each carrying a different percentage of the total grade.
How do I calculate a weighted grade?
Multiply each category's score by its weight as a decimal, then add all of the weighted contributions together.
What is a weighted average?
A weighted average is an average where some values count more than others, based on an assigned weight, rather than treating every value equally like a simple average.
How do I calculate my current grade?
Enter your completed categories, their scores, and their weights in the Weighted Grade mode. The calculator totals your weighted contributions and divides by the weight you have entered so far.
What if my course weights do not total 100% yet?
The calculator calculates your current grade on the weight you have completed so far, rather than treating the unfinished portion as a zero, and shows how much weight remains.
What if my entered weights are above 100%?
The calculator shows a validation warning instead of silently normalizing your numbers, since weights above 100% usually mean a duplicated category or a syllabus percentage entered incorrectly.
Should missing assignments count as zero?
That depends entirely on your instructor's policy. Some gradebooks treat missing work as a zero, while others exclude it until it is submitted. Check your syllabus or ask your instructor.
How do dropped assignments affect grades?
If an assignment has officially been dropped under your instructor's policy, it normally should not continue affecting your calculation, so you should leave it out of the categories you enter.
How does extra credit affect my grade?
It depends on how your instructor applies it, since schools add extra credit as raw points, percentage points, a separate category, or a score above 100% on an assignment. There is no universal method.
Does a curve change my calculated final grade?
Yes, if your instructor applies one. This calculator uses the raw grading rules you enter, so if a curve is applied later, your official grade may differ from the calculated estimate.
How do points-based grades work?
In a points-based course, you add up all the points you earned and all the points that were possible, then divide earned points by possible points to get a percentage.
What is the difference between points and weighted categories?
A points-based course adds up raw points earned out of points possible. A weighted course instead assigns each category, such as homework or exams, a fixed percentage of the total grade.
How do I calculate a grade from points earned?
Add up the points you earned across all assignments, add up the points that were possible, then divide total points earned by total points possible and multiply by 100.
How do I convert a percentage to a letter grade?
Compare your percentage to your instructor's grading scale. This calculator includes an example scale, but letter-grade cutoffs vary, so use your syllabus whenever it is available.
Is 90% always an A?
No. Some courses start the A range at 90%, others start it at 93% or another percentage. Always check your specific syllabus rather than assuming one universal cutoff.
Is 60% always passing?
No. Passing percentages vary by school, course, and instructor. Use the passing percentage listed in your syllabus as your target grade.
Why is my Canvas grade different?
Canvas can calculate grades differently depending on instructor settings for missing assignments, weighted categories, dropped scores, extra credit, and rounding, so a small difference from this calculator is expected.
Why is my Blackboard grade different?
Blackboard, like other gradebook systems, depends on instructor-specific settings for categories, weights, missing work, and rounding, which can produce a different number than this calculator's math.
Why is my Schoology grade different?
Schoology applies the specific grading rules your instructor configured, including category weights and missing-assignment handling, which this calculator cannot automatically detect.
Should I round my final grade?
Keep full precision while calculating, and round only the final displayed answer. For example, 84.666 percent can reasonably display as 84.7% or 84.67% depending on the calculator's presentation.
Can instructors choose not to round?
Yes. Some instructors do not round at all, meaning a calculated 89.96% would not automatically become a 90% A. Check your syllabus for your instructor's specific rounding policy.
Can I enter decimal grades?
Yes. This calculator accepts decimal values such as 84.5 for grades, exam scores, and weights.
Can grades be above 100%?
Only in courses that allow extra credit above the normal maximum. This calculator uses a standard 0 to 100 scale by default rather than silently assuming extra credit is allowed.
Does this calculator account for extra credit?
Not automatically. Extra credit is applied differently by different instructors, so you should factor it into the score you enter rather than expecting the calculator to add it for you.
Can I calculate multiple final-exam scenarios?
Yes. The What-If table in the Final Grade Needed mode shows your projected course grade at several exam scores from 50% through 100% in one view.
Can I use this for college classes?
Yes. The weighted average math used here applies to college courses that use percentage-based categories and a final exam weight.
Can I use this for high school?
Yes. The same weighted average formulas apply to high school courses that use percentage-based categories, though your school's specific grading scale may differ.
Can I use this outside the United States?
The underlying weighted average math is universal, but grading scales and passing percentages vary by country, so use your own school's percentages as your target grade.
Does every school use the same grading scale?
No. Letter-grade cutoffs, passing percentages, and rounding policies all vary by school and instructor, which is why this calculator treats its example scale as just one example.
How accurate is this grade calculator?
It is mathematically accurate for the scores, weights, and grading rules you enter. Its accuracy as a prediction of your official grade depends on how closely those entries match your instructor's actual policies.
Which number should I use as my current grade?
Use the current grade percentage reported by your instructor's gradebook or syllabus calculation, since that reflects the categories and weights actually being used in your course.
Should I use my syllabus or online gradebook weight?
Use whichever one your instructor says is official. If they differ, your syllabus and instructor's official gradebook take priority over any number entered here.
Sources & Further Learning
Mario's Math Tutoring: How to Calculate the Grade You NEED on Your Final Exam to Get the Grade You Want in Your Class - youtu.be/4q0JaTEe1jk
This calculator estimates grades using the scores, weights, and grading rules you enter. Your official course grade may differ because instructors and schools can use different policies for grading scales, curves, missing work, extra credit, dropped assignments, minimum exam scores, and rounding. Your syllabus and instructor's official gradebook take priority.