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Grade Calculator
About the Grade Calculator
Find out what score you need on your final exam to reach the course grade you want.
How to use the Grade Calculator
- Enter your Current Grade (%) and your Desired Grade (%).
- Enter the Final Exam Weight (%).
- Press Calculate Target Score.
Formula and method
Needed score = (Desired − Current × (1 − w)) ÷ w, where w is the final exam weight as a decimal.
Worked example
With a current grade of 85%, a goal of 87% and a final worth 20%: (87 − 85 × 0.8) ÷ 0.2 = (87 − 68) ÷ 0.2 = 95% needed.
When to use the Grade Calculator
- Working out your overall grade from coursework and exams.
- Finding the score you need on a final exam to pass or reach a target.
- Tracking weighted assignments in a term.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Ignoring the weights of each part of the grade.
- Assuming the final exam only needs the same score as your current average.
Tips
- If the needed score is above 100%, your goal may not be reachable without extra credit.
- Ask your instructor how the final is weighted and whether the lowest score is dropped.
Frequently Asked Questions
A larger weight gives the exam more influence, so your needed score moves closer to your desired grade.
Multiply each score by its weight, add the results and divide by the total weight.
Enter your current grade, the target grade and the exam's weight, and the tool works out the score required.