Enter your current grade, how much the final exam is worth and the grade you want. You get the exact final exam score you need, or switch modes to see the course grade any final score would give.
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This final grade calculator is for high school and college students planning how hard to study before a final exam. It uses your current grade and the weight of the final to show the score you need, plus a quick list of what you would need for 90%, 80%, 70% and 60% overall. It is a planning aid; your teacher’s syllabus has the final say.
What Do I Need on My Final Exam to Get the Grade I Want?
Required final score = (target grade − current grade × (1 − final weight)) ÷ final weight. With a current grade of 84%, a final worth 30% and a target of 85%, you need (85 − 84 × 0.7) ÷ 0.3 = 87.33% on the final exam to finish the course with 85%.
How Do You Work Out Your Final Grade and the Score You Need?
The score needed on a final exam is the target grade minus the part of the grade you have already earned, divided by the weight of the final.
final grade = current × (1 − w) + final score × w
w = final exam weight as a decimal (30% = 0.3)
Your course grade is a weighted average: the final exam counts for its weight, and everything before it counts for the rest. The exam weight is the share of the course grade the final is worth, which is listed in the syllabus. Your current grade is your percentage before the final. To work out a current grade from points earned out of points possible, use the grade calculator, and to turn letter grades into a semester GPA, try the GPA calculator.
What Final Exam Score Do I Need for Each Letter Grade?
With a current grade of 84% and a final worth 30%, you need 104% for an A (90%), 70.67% for a B (80%), 37.33% for a C (70%) and 4% for a D (60%). The table uses the common US letter grade cut-offs of 90, 80, 70 and 60, but schools and countries set their own scales.
| Target overall | Final worth 20% | Final worth 30% | Final worth 40% |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90% (A) | 114% (not possible) | 104% (not possible) | 99% |
| 85% | 89% | 87.33% | 86.5% |
| 80% (B) | 64% | 70.67% | 74% |
| 70% (C) | 14% | 37.33% | 49% |
| 60% (D) | Already secured | 4% | 24% |
All rows assume a current grade of 84%. Notice that a heavier final makes high targets easier to reach and low targets harder to secure.
What If the Score I Need Is Over 100%?
If the required score is over 100%, the target grade cannot be reached on the final alone unless the exam offers extra credit. In that case aim for the next grade down, ask whether other work can still be improved, or talk to your teacher. A result of 0% or below means the grade is already secured even if you miss the exam, though most schools still require you to sit it.
Worked Example
Maya has 84% in biology before the final, and the syllabus says the final is worth 30%. She wants 85% overall. With Score I need on the final selected, she enters 84, 30 and 85: the tool shows 87.33%. The list below shows she needs 70.67% to keep a B and that an A (90%) would need 104%, which is not possible. Switching to Grade from a final score and entering 75 shows her course grade would be 81.3%, down 2.7 points.
How Do You Use the Final Grade Calculator?
Pick what to find
Choose the score you need on the final, or the grade a final score would give.
Enter your grades
Type your current grade, the final exam weight and your target grade or final score.
Read the result
The big number is the score you need on the final, or your final course grade.
Check other targets
The boxes show the final score you need for 90%, 80%, 70% and 60% overall.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do I need on my final to keep a B?
It depends on your current grade and the final's weight. With 84% now and a final worth 30%, you need 70.67% to finish with 80%. Enter your own numbers in the tool to see your exact score.
How much will my final exam lower my grade?
Your new grade is current × (1 − weight) + final × weight. With 84% now, a final worth 30% and a score of 75%, your grade becomes 81.3%. A score of 0 on that final would drop the grade to 58.8%.
Can I still pass if I fail the final?
Often yes. With 84% now and a final worth 30%, scoring just 4% keeps you at 60%. But a heavier final changes this: if the final were worth 40%, you would need 24% to reach 60%.
Why does the calculator say a score over 100% is needed?
It means your target is mathematically out of reach on the final alone. With 84% and a 30% final, a 90% overall needs 104%. Unless the exam offers extra credit, pick a lower target such as 85%, which needs 87.33%.
Where do I find the final exam weight?
The weight of the final exam is usually listed in the course syllabus or grading policy, often between 15% and 40%. If you cannot find it, ask your teacher, since the result depends heavily on this number.
Does this work with points instead of percentages?
Convert points to a percentage first. If you have earned 420 of 500 points, your current grade is 84%. If the final is 150 of 500 total course points, its weight is 30%. Then enter those percentages.
Sources and Further Reading
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Last reviewed: October 2026