Final Exam Calculator
Find out what score you need on your final exam to reach your desired course grade.
What Is a Final Exam Calculator?
A final exam calculator helps you figure out what score you need on your final exam to reach a specific overall grade in a course.
For example, if you currently have an 82% in a class and your final exam is worth 30% of your course grade, you can use the calculator to see what score you would need on the exam to finish with a 90%.
The calculator uses your current grade, the percentage of your course grade that comes from the final exam, and the final course grade you want to achieve.
How to Use the Final Exam Calculator
Using the calculator is simple:
- Enter your current grade as a percentage.
- Enter the final exam weight as a percentage of your total course grade.
- Enter the desired final grade you want to finish the course with.
- Click Calculate Required Exam Score.
The calculator will show the approximate percentage you need to earn on your final exam.
How Is the Required Final Exam Score Calculated?
The calculation is based on the weighted average of your current grade and your final exam score.
Required Exam Score = (Desired Grade − Current Grade × (1 − Final Exam Weight)) ÷ Final Exam Weight
The percentages are converted to decimals when performing the calculation.
Example
Suppose your current grade is 82%, your final exam is worth 30% of your course grade, and you want to finish with a 90%.
Your current coursework accounts for the remaining 70% of the course:
82 × 0.70 = 57.4
You would then need:
90 − 57.4 = 32.6
Since the final exam is worth 30%:
32.6 ÷ 0.30 = 108.67%
That means you would need approximately 108.67% on the final exam to finish with a 90% overall grade.
Since a score above 100% normally isn’t possible, the calculator tells you that your desired grade cannot be reached with the remaining exam alone.
What If the Required Score Is More Than 100%?
If the calculator gives you a required exam score above 100%, it means your desired final course grade cannot normally be reached through the final exam alone.
You may still be able to improve your overall grade through extra credit, additional assignments, or other coursework, depending on your instructor’s grading policy.
What If I Need 0% or Less?
If the calculated required score is zero or below, you have already reached or exceeded the grade needed based on the numbers you entered.
In that situation, you may not need any additional points on the final exam to reach your desired overall grade.
Frequently Asked Questions
What grade do I need on my final?
It depends on your current grade, the percentage your final exam is worth, and the overall grade you want to achieve. Enter those three numbers into the calculator to find the required exam score.
Can I use this calculator for college courses?
Yes. The calculator can be used for college, high school, university, and other courses that calculate the final grade using weighted percentages.
What if my final exam is worth 20%?
Enter 20 in the Final Exam Weight field. The calculator will use the remaining 80% as the portion of your course grade represented by your current grade.
Can I get a final grade above 100%?
Normally, no. If the calculator says you need more than 100% on the final exam, your desired overall grade cannot be achieved from the final exam alone.