Final grade calculator
Work out the score you need on your final from your current grade, the final’s weight and your target.
To find what you need on your final, use: required score = (target grade − current grade × (1 − final weight)) ÷ final weight. For example, with an 82% current grade, a final worth 30%, and an 85% target, you need 92% on the final.
What do I need on my final?
Grade before the final, with the final left out of the average.
Letter presets (common US cutoffs; your syllabus may differ):
- Score needed on the final
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Everything is calculated in your browser. Nothing is stored or uploaded.
Predict my course grade
Optional reverse check: enter an expected final score to see the resulting course grade.
- Predicted course grade
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How to use the final grade calculator
- Enter your current course grade before the final (from your gradebook, with the final left out).
- Enter how much the final is worth as a percent of the course.
- Enter the course grade you want (or pick a letter preset).
- Read the score you need; if it is over 100%, the target is out of reach without extra credit.
The formula
Required final score = (target − current × (1 − w)) ÷ w, where w is the final’s weight as a decimal (30% → 0.30).
Course grade after the final = current × (1 − w) + final score × w.
Worked example
Current grade 82%, final weight 30% (w = 0.30), target 85%.
- Weight of work already done: 1 − 0.30 = 0.70
- Points locked in: 82 × 0.70 = 57.4
- Points still needed: 85 − 57.4 = 27.6
- Score on final: 27.6 ÷ 0.30 = 92
You need 92% on the final.
When the target is out of reach
Current 85%, final weight 25%, target 90% → (90 − 85 × 0.75) ÷ 0.25 = 105%. That target is not reachable without extra credit or a curve. With a perfect final, the best course grade is 85 × 0.75 + 100 × 0.25 = 88.75%.
Letter grades and UK marks
US letter presets fill a typical mid-band percentage (A 90, B 80, C 70, D 60). Schools set their own cutoffs — some treat A− as 90, others need 93 for an A — so prefer an exact % when the syllabus publishes one.
- A — 90%
- B — 80%
- C — 70%
- D — 60%
Studying in the UK? Enter your current module mark, the exam’s weight from the handbook, and the target mark (for example 60 for a 2:1 band). Classification rules still vary by university — use the UK degree classification calculator for First / 2:1 planning, or see the UK degree classifications guide.
Questions and answers
- How do I calculate what I need on my final?
- Use required score = (target − current × (1 − final weight)) ÷ final weight, with the weight as a decimal. For example, with an 82% current grade, a final worth 30%, and an 85% target, you need 92% on the final.
- What if I need more than 100% on the final?
- If the exam is capped at 100%, that target is not reachable. The calculator shows the best course grade you can still get with a perfect final. Extra credit or a curve only help if your syllabus allows them.
- Which current grade should I use?
- Use the weighted grade in your portal before the final. If the gradebook already treats the ungraded final as zero, that average is too low — recalculate without the final.
- What grade do I need on my final to pass?
- Enter your course’s pass line as the target (often 60% / D in US classes; some majors need 70% / C). Check the syllabus for the exact cutoff.
- How much will my final affect my grade?
- By its weight: a final worth 20% moves the course grade by 2 points for every 10 points on the exam; at 40% weight, every 10 exam points move the course by 4.
- Does this work for UK module marks?
- Yes for weighted percentage modules. Enter your current mark, the exam weight from the handbook, and the target percentage (for example 60 for a 2:1 band). University classification rules still differ — see the UK degree classifications guide.
- Is anything saved or uploaded?
- No. Calculations run in your browser only. Nothing is stored or uploaded.