What score do you need on your final exam?
Turn a target grade into a required exam score—and check the assumptions.
Find the correct current grade
Use the average for the completed portion of the course, with the remaining final exam excluded. Some gradebooks display missing work as zero; others omit it. Those figures are not interchangeable. Check the course grading policy before using a displayed average.
Use the exam weight as a fraction
If the final exam is worth 30% of the course, its weight is 0.30 and the completed work carries 0.70. With a current average of 78% and a target overall grade of 80%, the equation is 78 × 0.70 + exam score × 0.30 = 80.
Compare the example
Current grade 78%, final exam weight 30%; no extra credit or rounding policy
| Target overall | Required exam | Possible with a 100% exam? |
|---|---|---|
| 75% | 68.00% | Yes |
| 80% | 84.67% | Yes |
| 85% | 101.33% | No |
| 90% | 118.00% | No |
On a small screen, scroll the table sideways if needed.
Try this in the calculator
Enter 78 for the current grade and 30 for the final exam weight. Compare targets of 75, 80 and 85. The target of 90 needs more than 100% on the final under this model.
Try the example ↗Solve for the remaining score
Subtract the completed contribution: 80 − 54.6 = 25.4. Divide by the exam weight: 25.4 ÷ 0.30 ≈ 84.67%. You need about 84.67% under this simple weighted-average model. Do not assume that a rounded display will satisfy a course’s exact cutoff.
Read unusual results carefully
A required score above 100% means the target cannot be reached within an exam capped at 100%, under the entered assumptions. A score below zero means the completed work already supplies enough points for the target in this model. Neither result overrides attendance rules, mandatory assessments or minimum exam requirements.
Compare realistic targets
Use the calculator to compare several target grades, keeping your current grade and exam weight unchanged. The result can help you plan study goals, but official rounding rules, extra credit, dropped assignments and category weighting may change the outcome.