About the Final Grade Calculator
Most courses calculate your final grade as a weighted average: homework, quizzes, midterms and the final exam each count for a set percentage listed in the syllabus. If you know your current grade (everything except the final) and the final exam’s weight, you can work out exactly what you need on the final.
This calculator shows the score you need, whether it is reachable, a table for every letter grade, and what your course grade will be for any final exam score. Cutoffs default to the common 90/80/70/60 scale and can be edited.
How to use
- Enter your current grade in percent. Most online gradebooks (Canvas, Blackboard, PowerSchool) show it.
- Enter the final exam weight from your syllabus, e.g. 30%.
- Enter the grade you want. The score you need on the final appears instantly, along with a table for each letter grade.
- Use What if I score this on the final? to see your course grade for an expected score.
Final grade formula with an example
With the final’s weight w as a decimal:
- Course grade = current × (1 − w) + final × w
- Needed on final = (target − current × (1 − w)) ÷ w
Example: current grade 80%, final worth 40%, target 85% → (85 − 80 × 0.6) ÷ 0.4 = 37 ÷ 0.4 = 92.5%. With a 90% on the final you would finish with 80 × 0.6 + 90 × 0.4 = 84% (a B).
Another: current 85%, final worth 30%, target 90% → (90 − 59.5) ÷ 0.3 = 101.67%. That is not reachable without extra credit; a perfect final gives 89.5%.
Common US letter-grade scale
| Letter | Percent | GPA |
|---|---|---|
| A | 90–100% | 4.0 |
| B | 80–89% | 3.0 |
| C | 70–79% | 2.0 |
| D | 60–69% | 1.0 |
| F | below 60% | 0.0 |
Many schools add plus/minus grades (e.g. A− from 90, B+ from 87) or use a 93/85/77/70 scale. Check your syllabus and adjust the cutoffs above.
FAQ
What is my “current grade”?
It is your weighted average for everything graded so far, not counting the final. Your online gradebook usually shows it. If the gradebook already includes a 0 for the final, use the grade before the final instead.
What if I need more than 100%?
Then the target is not reachable even with a perfect final exam, unless there is extra credit. The calculator shows the best course grade you can still get.
My final is worth points, not a percent. What do I enter?
Divide the final’s points by the total points in the course. For example, a 200-point final in a 1,000-point course is worth 20%.
Does it work with weighted categories?
Yes. As long as your current grade is the weighted average of the other categories, the result is exact.