Your course grade is a weighted average: the work you have already done counts for part of it, and the final exam for the rest. Everything you have earned so far is “banked”; the final must supply the difference between the banked points and the grade you want, and dividing that gap by the final’s weight gives the score you need.
Use the first mode if your teacher or learning platform shows a single current grade. It is assumed to cover everything except the final. Use the second mode when you know the individual exam grades and their weights; the calculator adds them up for you. The grade scale does not have to be percent: set the maximum grade to 20, 10, 6 or any other number and enter all grades on that scale.
If the answer is above the maximum, the target is out of reach without extra credit; if it is zero or negative, you have already secured it. The extra results show your course grade if you score 0 or a perfect mark on the final, so you can see the whole range still open to you.
How to use the Final Exam Grade Calculator
- I know
- Maximum possible grade (100 for percent)
- Current grade
- Earlier exam grades
- Their weights in % of the course (same order)
- Target overall grade
- Final exam weight
Results update as you type, every field has its own unit menu, and everything is calculated in your browser.
How it works
The banked part of the grade is either the current grade times the share of the course already done, or the sum of each earlier grade times its weight. The needed final score is (target − banked) ÷ (final weight ÷ 100).
Worked example
Current grade 82%, final worth 30%, target 85%. Banked = 82 × 0.70 = 57.4. Needed = (85 − 57.4) ÷ 0.30 = 92.0%. A 0 on the final would leave 57.4%; a perfect final would give 87.4%.
With individual exams instead (78, 85 and 90 weighted 20%, 20% and 30%), banked = (78 × 20 + 85 × 20 + 90 × 30) ÷ 100 = 59.6, so an 85 target needs (85 − 59.6) ÷ 0.30 = 84.7 on the final.
Inputs explained
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| I know | Choose one: My current grade, My individual exam grades and weights |
| Maximum possible grade (100 for percent) | A number |
| Current grade | A number |
| Earlier exam grades | A list of numbers separated by commas, spaces or new lines |
| Their weights in % of the course (same order) | A list of numbers separated by commas, spaces or new lines |
| Target overall grade | A number |
| Final exam weight | In % |
What each result means
- Score needed on the final = ([Target overall grade] – [Grade already banked])÷([Final exam weight]÷100)
- Needed as a percentage of the maximum = ([Score needed on the final]÷[Maximum possible grade (100 for percent)])×100
- Weight already used + final weight = sum([Their weights in % of the course (same order)]) + [Final exam weight]
- Course grade if you score 0 on the final = [Grade already banked]
- Course grade with a perfect final = [Grade already banked] + [Maximum possible grade (100 for percent)]×[Final exam weight]÷100
Example values
How the main result changes when Maximum possible grade changes and everything else stays at the example values above:
| Maximum possible grade (100 for percent) | Score needed on the final |
|---|---|
| 50 | 92 |
| 75 | 92 |
| 100 | 92 |
| 125 | 92 |
| 150 | 92 |
| 200 | 92 |
Formula
Needed = (target − banked) ÷ final weight · banked = current grade × (1 − final weight), or Σ(exam grade × exam weight)
Worked example
Inputs: I know: My current grade; Maximum possible grade (100 for percent): 100; Current grade: 82; Target overall grade: 85; Final exam weight: 30 %.
Results: Grade already banked = 57.4; Score needed on the final = 92; Needed as a percentage of the maximum = 92 %; Is it possible? = Yes – achievable; Course grade if you score 0 on the final = 57.4; Course grade with a perfect final = 87.4.
Key terms
- Final exam weight
- The share of the course grade decided by the final.
- Banked grade
- The points already secured from work completed before the final.
- Weighted average
- An average in which each item counts according to its weight.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate what I need on my final?
Needed = (target − current × (1 − final weight)) ÷ final weight. With 82% now, a final worth 30% and a target of 85%: (85 − 57.4) ÷ 0.3 = 92%.
What if I need more than 100%?
The target cannot be reached on the final alone. Ask about extra credit or aim for the next grade down.
Does this work for weighted categories?
Yes, if your "current grade" already reflects all weighted work done before the final, or if you enter each exam and its weight in the second mode.
Can I use a 1–10 or 20-point scale?
Yes. Set the maximum grade to 10 or 20 and enter every grade on that scale.
What if the weights don't add up to 100%?
In the second mode the earlier weights plus the final weight should equal 100%; the calculator shows the total so you can check.
How much can the final still change my grade?
Compare the two extra results: the gap between a 0 and a perfect final equals the final's weight times the maximum grade.
Sources
Guides on this topic
- How to Calculate GPA: Weighted, Unweighted and Cumulative (With Examples): The credit-weighted formula behind every GPA, worked through a real 15-credit semester, plus weighted vs unweighted scales and how fast a cumulative GPA can actually rise.