What grade do I need on my final exam?

With the final exam a few weeks away, the useful question is not your current grade but what you need on the exam to finish where you want. If the answer is 52%, you can relax a little. If it is 118%, you know to aim for the next grade down and plan accordingly.

The formula

Needed on final = (target − current × (1 − final weight)) ÷ final weight

Use decimals for the weight: 30% is 0.3.

Worked example

Your coursework and midterms so far average 78%, and they make up 70% of the course. The final exam is the remaining 30%.

• For 80% overall: (80 − 78 × 0.7) ÷ 0.3 = (80 − 54.6) ÷ 0.3 = 84.7%.
• For 70% overall: (70 − 54.6) ÷ 0.3 = 51.3%.
• For 90% overall: (90 − 54.6) ÷ 0.3 = 118%. Not reachable.

Let the calculator do it

1. Open the Grade Calculator and enter each assessment so far with its score and weight.
2. In the “What do I need on the final?” section, enter the weight of the remaining assessment and your target overall grade.
3. Read the result. The calculator tells you if the target is already secured even with a zero, or if it is not reachable even with full marks.

Check the weights add up

The most common mistake is using weights that do not total 100%. If coursework is 40%, midterm 20% and final 40%, your “current grade” must be the weighted average of the coursework and midterm only, covering 60% of the course. The Grade Calculator shows the total weight entered, so you can see when something is missing.

Letter grade cut-offs

Courses differ on where an A starts: 90% in many US courses, 70% for a first in UK universities, and other scales elsewhere. Some courses also round, so 89.5% might count as 90%. Use your syllabus. The Grade Calculator lets you choose a grading scale so the letter matches.

Rules that change the sum

• Dropped lowest score: some courses ignore your worst quiz. Leave it out before calculating.
• Final replaces midterm: some courses use the final score instead of a lower midterm.
• Minimum exam mark: some courses require a pass on the exam itself, whatever your overall average.
• Curved grades: if grades are scaled after the exam, the calculation is only a guide.

Courses graded in points

Some courses add up points rather than percentages: 1,000 points available, 900 for an A. Then the arithmetic is simpler. Subtract the points you already have from the points you need; the result is what you must score on the remaining work. With 640 points so far and a 300-point final, an A needs 260 of those 300, or about 87%.

Using the answer

If the number you need is high, start with past papers and the topics with the most marks. If it is low, do not coast: exam scores often come in under what students expect. Aim a few points above the target. For turning raw marks into a percentage and grade, see test score to percentage and grade.