Final grade planner
Calculate the score you need on the final exam to hit a target grade, given the final’s weight and your current grade.
Required fields are marked with an asterisk (*).
Your final grade is a weighted average of your current grade and your final exam score. This calculator works out the score you need on the final to reach a target grade, and flags when that target is out of reach.
Formula
Score needed on the final = (target − current contribution) ÷ final weight. Contribution = current grade × (1 − final weight).
When is this useful?
Use it before the final exam to know exactly what you need, or to see whether your target is realistic or worth revising.
Worked example
Example using the calculator’s values: current grade 80, final weight 30%, target 85.
You need about 96.67 on the final.
Your current contribution is 56 and the maximum achievable is 86.
Assumptions
- The final grade is a weighted average of your current grade and the final exam only.
- The final’s weight is entered as a percentage (like 30 for a 30% weight).
- The result is clamped between 0 and 100; if more than a perfect score is needed, the target is unreachable.
- Your current grade already includes all coursework before the final.
Common mistakes
- Entering the weight as a fraction (like 0.3) instead of a percentage (30).
- Ignoring the final’s weight and treating the needed score as the gap between target and current grade.
- Missing that the target may be unreachable when the needed score exceeds 100.
Frequently asked questions
What if the score I need is over 100?
That means your target is unreachable even with a perfect score, because your current contribution is not enough. The calculator clamps the result to 100.
My final is worth more than 100 points raw, what do I do?
Enter its true weight as a percentage of the total grade; the math uses the relative weight, not the raw point count.
Methodology and review
Results are estimates based on the weights you enter; check the grade components in your official syllabus.