Final Grade Calculator
Find the score you need on the final exam to reach your target course grade, from your current grade and the exam’s weight.
How it works
required = (target − current × (1 − w)) ÷ w
Your course grade is the current grade weighted at (1 − w) plus the final exam weighted at w. Solving for the exam score gives the formula above. If the answer comes out above 100%, no possible exam score reaches the target at that weight; if it comes out at or below zero, the target is already locked in before you sit the exam.
Worked example
Current grade 88%, final worth 30%, target 90%: required = (90 − 88×0.70) ÷ 0.30 = (90 − 61.6) ÷ 0.30 = 94.7%. A 94.7% final gets you exactly to 90%.
Frequently asked questions
What if my final can replace a midterm score too?
Some syllabi let the final overwrite a lower midterm, which effectively raises the final’s weight. Re-run the numbers with the combined weight of everything the exam can replace.
The required score is 102% — is there anything I can do?
Not through the final alone. Look for extra credit, regrade requests on earlier work, or dropped-assignment policies — or aim for the best grade that is reachable, shown as the "if you score 100%" line.
Does this work for a final project instead of an exam?
Yes — the math only cares about the weight. Any single remaining graded item works, as long as everything else is already scored.
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This calculator is for educational purposes. Double-check important results before acting on them.