Work out the score you need on a final exam to hit your target.
Calculated locally in your browser.
How do you calculate the final exam score you need?
Needed = (Desired − Current × (1 − Weight)) ÷ Weight, where Weight is the exam's share as a decimal. For example, with 80% current, a 90% target and a 30%-weight final, you need about 113.3% — meaning 90% is not reachable. Above 100% means the target is unachievable; below 0% means you have already secured it.
Understanding your result
If the required score is above 100%, the target is not achievable; below 0% means you have already secured it.
Formula and method
Needed = (Desired − Current × (1 − Weight)) ÷ Weight, where Weight is the exam’s share as a decimal.
Assumptions and limitations
The calculation assumes your current grade and the final's weight are accurate and that the rest of the course is already settled. It cannot account for extra credit, curved grading or dropped scores your instructor might apply. A required score above 100% means the target is not achievable from the final alone. Calculation runs in your browser.
Worked example
With 80% current, a 90% target and a 30%-weight final, you need about 113.3% — meaning 90% is not reachable from the final alone.
How to use this tool
- Enter your current grade.
- Enter your desired final grade.
- Enter the final exam’s weight, then Calculate.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Entering the final weight as a percentage of the wrong total.
About the Grade Calculator
Find the score you need on your final exam to achieve your target overall grade.
Who should use this tool
Students facing a final exam who want to know exactly what score they need for a target grade. If you know your current overall percentage, the grade you are aiming for and how much the final is worth, this works out the mark required, and tells you when the target is out of reach.
Benefits
- Shows the exact final-exam score needed for your target
- Flags when a target grade is not achievable
- Accounts for the final's weight in the overall mark
- Calculates instantly in your browser with no sign-up
Practical use cases
- Planning how hard to study for a final exam
- Checking if a desired grade is still reachable
- Setting a realistic target before the last exam
- Understanding how much the final will move your grade
Frequently asked questions
What if I need over 100%?
It means the target grade cannot be reached with the final exam alone.
How is the required final score worked out?
The tool takes your desired overall grade and subtracts the portion already secured by your current grade across the non-final part of the course, then divides by the final's weight. The result is the mark you need on the final to reach your target, expressed as a percentage.
What does a required score below zero mean?
A required score below zero percent means you have already secured your target grade regardless of how the final goes, because the marks earned so far are enough on their own. You still need to sit the exam, but any score would keep you at or above your goal.