Enter your grade so far, how much the final counts and the grade you're aiming for. We'll tell you the score you need.
You need on the final
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What you need for each grade
Final grade
Score needed
The working
How the final grade formula works
Your overall grade is a weighted average: the part you've already earned counts for everything except the final, and the final counts for the rest. So if the final is worth w, your grade ends up as:
overall = current × (1 − w) + final × w
Rearrange it to find the final score you need for a target grade:
final needed = (target − current × (1 − w)) ÷ w
Example
You have 84% going into a final worth 25%, and you want a 90%. The part you've earned is worth 84 × 0.75 = 63 points. You need 90, so the final has to supply 27 points, and 27 ÷ 0.25 = 108%. That's more than 100%, so a 90 isn't reachable, but an 85 would need only (85 − 63) ÷ 0.25 = 88%.
Tips for reading the result
Over 100%: the target is out of reach without extra credit or a curve.
Under 0%: you've locked in the target already.
Heavy finals swing grades: a final worth 40% can move a 70 to a 90 — or the other way. The more it's worth, the more a strong final pays off.
Letter grade cut-offs vary. The table uses the common 90/80/70/60 scale; check your syllabus for plus/minus boundaries or a different scale.
Subtract the part of your grade you already have from the grade you want, then divide by the final's weight. With an 84% average, a final worth 25% and a 90% target: (90 − 84 × 0.75) ÷ 0.25 = 108%.
What if the answer is over 100%?+
Then the target isn't reachable with the final alone, unless your class gives extra credit. Try a lower target to see what's realistic.
What if the answer is negative?+
You've already secured that grade: even a zero on the final would leave you at or above your target. It's still worth sitting the exam — a zero often comes with other consequences.
Where do I find my current grade and the final's weight?+
Both are usually in your syllabus and online gradebook (Canvas, Blackboard, PowerSchool and so on). The weight is the percentage of the overall grade the final counts for.
Does this work for weighted categories?+
Yes, as long as your current grade already reflects the category weights, which gradebooks usually show. Enter that overall percentage and the final's share of the total.