What a final exam calculator does
A final exam calculator answers one question: what do I have to score on the final to finish the class with the grade I want? Instead of guessing, it uses your current grade and the weight of the final to work out the exact percentage you need.
It is most useful when the final is a big slice of the grade. If the exam counts for 40%, a bad day can pull a grade down a full letter. If it counts for 10%, the same bad day barely matters. Knowing the number early tells you how much studying is really required.
How to calculate the score you need by hand
Your course grade is a weighted blend of your current work and the final:
Course grade = current ร (1 โ w) + final ร w
Solve that for the final score and you get the formula used above.
- Turn the final's weight into a decimal (25% becomes 0.25).
- Multiply your current grade by (1 โ w). This is the part of your grade already locked in.
- Subtract that from your target grade.
- Divide by w.
Tips for using the calculator
- Use the grade without the final. If your gradebook already shows a total that includes a zero for the exam, enter your grade from the other work instead.
- Check the weight. The final may be listed as a percent of the grade, or as points out of a total. If it is points, divide the exam points by the total points in the course.
- Try several targets. The table shows the A, B, C and D cutoffs at once so you can decide which one is worth fighting for.
- Use your own cutoffs. Some teachers use 93 for an A or 92.5 for rounding. Type your real target in the target box.
What the results mean
If the number is over 100%, the target is out of reach on the exam alone. You would need extra credit, a grade change from the instructor, or a lower target.
If the number is zero or negative, your current grade is high enough that you keep your target even with a very low exam score. Do not treat that as a reason to skip the exam, though, because some courses require passing the final to pass the class.
Anything in between is the percentage to aim for. Aim a little above it, since your estimate of the current grade may be off by a point or two.
Common cutoffs at a glance
| Letter | Typical minimum |
|---|---|
| A | 90% |
| B | 80% |
| C | 70% |
| D | 60% |
These are common US cutoffs. Plus/minus grades and different scales exist, so check your syllabus.
Mistakes that change the answer
- Entering the weight as 0.25 instead of 25. Type the percent.
- Using a current grade that already includes the final.
- Forgetting that dropped quizzes or extra credit can change your current grade before the final is added.
- Ignoring rounding rules. Some instructors round 89.5 up to 90, which lowers the score you need a little.
Related ideas
If your grade is built from several categories, such as homework, quizzes and tests, the weighted grade calculator finds your current grade first. Then come back here for the final. For a bigger picture across many classes, use the GPA calculator.