Enter your current course grade, your target grade, and the final exam’s weight to calculate the score you need on your final.
Assumption: This calculation assumes your current grade represents all non-final coursework and your final exam is the only remaining component. Check your syllabus for extra credit, rounding rules, minimum exam scores, and other course requirements.
Required final exam score
You need at least 93% on your final exam to reach a course grade of 90%.
Course grade tracker
Enter every non-final item with its score and its weight as a percentage of the whole course (not a relative weight). Those weights must add up to 100% minus the final exam weight. The result becomes your current grade above.
| Assignment | Grade (%) | Course weight (%) | Remove |
|---|
If your situation is different
- Final has two parts. Add the two weights together and enter the combined weight, then treat the score you need as the average across both parts.
- Points instead of percentages. Convert to a percentage first: points earned ÷ points possible × 100. Convert the final's weight the same way, as its points ÷ total course points × 100.
- Lowest grade is dropped. Remove the dropped item before working out your current grade. The calculator does not drop grades for you.
- You have already taken the final. This tool is for planning. Your course grade is your current grade × (100 − weight) ÷ 100 + final score × weight ÷ 100.
- You want to compare targets. Open the table below the grade reference to see the score needed for each letter grade at once.
Score needed for each letter grade (with your numbers)
| Target letter | Target (minimum) | Required on final |
|---|
Uses your current grade and final weight above and the minimum percentage for each letter on the standard scale below. Required scores are rounded up to 0.1.
Letter grade scale used by this calculator
| Letter | Percentage range | Used as a target | Used as current grade (estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|
| A+ | 97 to 100% | 97% | 98.5% |
| A | 93 to under 97% | 93% | 95% |
| A− | 90 to under 93% | 90% | 91.5% |
| B+ | 87 to under 90% | 87% | 88.5% |
| B | 83 to under 87% | 83% | 85% |
| B− | 80 to under 83% | 80% | 81.5% |
| C+ | 77 to under 80% | 77% | 78.5% |
| C | 73 to under 77% | 73% | 75% |
| C− | 70 to under 73% | 70% | 71.5% |
| D+ | 67 to under 70% | 67% | 68.5% |
| D | 63 to under 67% | 63% | 65% |
| D− | 60 to under 63% | 60% | 61.5% |
| F | 0 to under 60% | — | 30% |
This is a common scale, not a universal one. Ranges include the lower number and stop just below the upper one (93 to under 97 means 93.0 up to 96.99…). A letter as a target uses the minimum; a letter as your current grade is only an estimate (the midpoint). Your school may use different cutoffs, so check your syllabus.
How the final grade calculation works
Most courses use a weighted grading system: homework, quizzes, midterms and the final exam each count for a percentage of the course grade. Your current grade covers the part of the course that is not the final. The final exam’s weight is the open slot, and the calculator solves for the exam score that fills it.
(Target × 100 − Current × (100 − Final weight))
÷ Final weight
- Target: the course grade you want, as a percentage.
- Current: your weighted average across all non-final coursework, as a percentage.
- Final weight: the share of the course grade the final exam is worth, above 0 and up to 100.
Worked example
Given: current grade 88%, target course grade 90%, final exam worth 40%.
Step 1: The coursework counts for 100 − 40 = 60% of the course grade.
Step 2: Your coursework contributes 88 × 60 = 5,280 grade points.
Step 3: The target total is 90 × 100 = 9,000 grade points.
Step 4: The final must supply 9,000 − 5,280 = 3,720 grade points.
Step 5: Divide by the final's weight: 3,720 ÷ 40 = 93%.
You need at least 93% on the final exam to reach a 90% course grade.
Reading the result
- Above 0% and up to 100%: this is the minimum score you need. It is rounded up to the next 0.1% so the displayed number is never lower than the exact requirement.
- 0% or below: your target is already met under the stated assumptions. Even a 0% on the final leaves you at or above it. The calculator still shows the calculated figure, which can be negative.
- Above 100%: the target is not reachable under the standard 100% cap on the exam. The calculator shows the highest course grade you can reach with a perfect final.
Finding your final exam weight
Check the grading section of your syllabus or course page. If it lists points rather than percentages, divide the final’s points by the total course points and multiply by 100. See the calculator methodology for the full list of assumptions, validation rules and rounding.
Grading scales, rounding and extra credit
Letter-grade cutoffs and rounding rules vary by school, and some instructors round final grades up. This tool does not apply school-specific rounding, minimum exam scores or extra credit, so follow your institution’s rules. Grades and exam scores above 100% are rejected rather than accepted silently.
Questions or an error to report? Visit the contact page.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate what I need on my final exam? ▾
What if the calculator says I need more than 100%? ▾
What does a required score of 0% or below mean? ▾
Can I pass the class if I fail the final? ▾
How do I find my final exam weight? ▾
What counts as my current grade? ▾
How are extra credit and grades above 100% handled? ▾
How are letter grades handled? ▾
How does the course grade tracker work? ▾
Are the numbers I enter saved or sent anywhere? ▾
Final Grade Calculator · Free to use · No sign-up · Works on any device · Methodology
How The Result Is Worked Out.
The calculator uses the standard weighted-grade method. These are the assumptions behind the result. The full list is on the methodology page.
Weighted Method
Your current grade is treated as covering all non-final coursework. The final exam is the only remaining component.
Letter Grades
A letter used as a target counts as the minimum for that letter (A = 93%). A letter used as your current grade is an estimate based on the middle of its range.
Unreachable Targets
If the required score is above 100%, the target cannot be reached under the standard 100% exam cap. If it is 0% or below, the target is already met.
Your Institution's Rules
Grading scales and rounding differ between schools, so check them with your instructor.
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Last reviewed: October 4, 2026 · How our tools are built · Report an error