What grade do I need on my final in every class?
The grade you need on each final comes from the same formula, so you can plan the whole week at once. Add every class below; the list is sorted from the final that needs the highest score to the one that is already safe, which is a practical way to split study time.
Calculator
All my finals at once
Sorted from hardest to easiest
92%
needed in Algebra II, your toughest final
- History (88% now, final 15%, goal 90%)not reachable (101.3%)
- Algebra II (77% now, final 20%, goal 80%)92%
- English (91% now, final 20%, goal 90%)86%
- Chemistry (84% now, final 25%, goal 80%)68%
1 goal is out of reach without extra credit; try the next letter down.
How it works. Each class uses needed = (goal − current × (1 − weight)) ÷ weight. The list is sorted from the hardest final to the easiest, so you can plan study time.
Score needed for an A, B, C or D
Find your current grade in the left column and the final’s weight across the top; the cell is the lowest exam score that gets you to the target. Numbers are rounded up to one decimal, so hitting the number is always enough. A ✓ means you already have the grade even with a 0 on the final, and ✗ means you would need more than 100%.
The targets use the lowest percent of each letter on the common 10-point scale: 90 for an A, 80 for a B, 70 for a C and 60 for a D.[1] If your school uses plus/minus grades, an A− usually starts at 90 and a B+ at 87,[2] so type your own target into the calculator above.
To keep an A (90%)
| Grade now | 10% | 15% | 20% | 25% | 30% | 40% | 50% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100% | ✓ | 33.4 | 50 | 60 | 66.7 | 75 | 80 |
| 95% | 45 | 61.7 | 70 | 75 | 78.4 | 82.5 | 85 |
| 92% | 72.1 | 78.7 | 82 | 84 | 85.4 | 87 | 88 |
| 90% | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90.1 | 90 | 90 |
| 88% | ✗ | ✗ | 98 | 96 | 94.7 | 93 | 92 |
| 85% | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | 97.5 | 95 |
| 82% | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | 98 |
| 80% | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | 100 |
| 78% | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| 75% | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| 72% | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| 70% | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| 65% | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
To get a B (80%)
| Grade now | 10% | 15% | 20% | 25% | 30% | 40% | 50% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100% | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 20 | 33.4 | 50 | 60 |
| 95% | ✓ | ✓ | 20 | 35 | 45 | 57.5 | 65 |
| 92% | ✓ | 12 | 32 | 44 | 52.1 | 62.1 | 68 |
| 90% | ✓ | 23.4 | 40 | 50 | 56.7 | 65 | 70 |
| 88% | 8 | 34.7 | 48 | 56 | 61.4 | 68 | 72 |
| 85% | 35 | 51.7 | 60 | 65 | 68.4 | 72.5 | 75 |
| 82% | 62.1 | 68.7 | 72 | 74 | 75.4 | 77 | 78 |
| 80% | 80 | 80 | 80 | 80 | 80 | 80 | 80 |
| 78% | 98 | 91.4 | 88 | 86 | 84.7 | 83 | 82 |
| 75% | ✗ | ✗ | 100 | 95 | 91.7 | 87.5 | 85 |
| 72% | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | 98.7 | 92 | 88 |
| 70% | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | 95 | 90 |
| 65% | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | 95 |
| 60% | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | 100 |
To get a C (70%)
| Grade now | 10% | 15% | 20% | 25% | 30% | 40% | 50% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100% | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 25 | 40 |
| 95% | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 11.7 | 32.5 | 45 |
| 92% | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 4 | 18.7 | 37.1 | 48 |
| 90% | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 10 | 23.4 | 40 | 50 |
| 88% | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 16 | 28.1 | 43.1 | 52 |
| 85% | ✓ | ✓ | 10 | 25 | 35.1 | 47.5 | 55 |
| 82% | ✓ | 2 | 22 | 34 | 42.1 | 52.1 | 58 |
| 80% | ✓ | 13.4 | 30 | 40 | 46.7 | 55 | 60 |
| 78% | ✓ | 24.7 | 38 | 46 | 51.4 | 58.1 | 62 |
| 75% | 25 | 41.7 | 50 | 55 | 58.4 | 62.5 | 65 |
| 72% | 52.1 | 58.7 | 62 | 64 | 65.4 | 67 | 68 |
| 70% | 70 | 70 | 70 | 70 | 70 | 70 | 70 |
| 65% | ✗ | 98.4 | 90 | 85 | 81.7 | 77.5 | 75 |
| 60% | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | 100 | 93.4 | 85 | 80 |
What do I need on my final to pass?
To pass with a D on a 10-point scale you need a 60% course grade, and the score needed is (60 − current × (1 − w)) ÷ w. Some programs require a C (70%) or better for a prerequisite or a major requirement, so check which line matters for you.
| Grade now | 10% | 15% | 20% | 25% | 30% | 40% | 50% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100% | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 20 |
| 95% | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 7.5 | 25 |
| 92% | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 12.1 | 28 |
| 90% | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 15 | 30 |
| 88% | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 18.1 | 32 |
| 85% | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 1.7 | 22.5 | 35 |
| 82% | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 8.7 | 27.1 | 38 |
| 80% | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 13.4 | 30 | 40 |
| 78% | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 6 | 18.1 | 33.1 | 42 |
| 75% | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 15 | 25 | 37.5 | 45 |
| 72% | ✓ | ✓ | 12 | 24 | 32.1 | 42.1 | 48 |
| 70% | ✓ | 3.4 | 20 | 30 | 36.7 | 45 | 50 |
| 65% | 15 | 31.7 | 40 | 45 | 48.4 | 52.5 | 55 |
| 60% | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 |
For a grade of 55% going into a 20% final, passing at 60% takes (60 − 44) ÷ 0.2 = 80% on the exam. At 50% going in, it takes 100%: the whole exam. When the number is that high, ask your teacher early about retakes, extra credit or an incomplete. Asking before the final gives you more options than asking after.
Three things that change the answer
- Grades still to come. If homework or a project is still open, your current grade will move before the final. Enter every category, graded or not, in the weighted grade calculator to see what the remaining work needs to average.
- A final that replaces a test. Some teachers drop your lowest test or let the final replace it. Then the final counts twice, so your current grade is not fixed: recalculate it with the low test replaced by your expected final score.
- Rounding. An 89.5% may or may not round to an A. The letter grade calculator shows the exact band for each letter, and the main final grade calculator shows the course grade for any exam score you type.
Semester examsIf your report card averages two quarter grades and a semester exam, use the semester grade calculator: it asks for each quarter separately and gives the exam score needed for each letter.
How to study with the number you need
Turn the score into questions. On a 50-question final, a needed 84% means at most 8 wrong answers; the test grade calculator prints the full chart of wrong answers to percent for any test length. If the final has a free-response part worth more points, plan your time around where most of the points sit, not where most of the questions are.
Frequently asked questions
What do I need on my final to pass with a 60?
Use (60 − current grade × (1 − w)) ÷ w. With a 62% and a 20% final: (60 − 49.6) ÷ 0.2 = 52%.
What do I need on my final to keep an A?
With a 93% and a 20% final, you need 78% to stay at 90%. With a 91% and a 30% final, you need 87.7%.
What does it mean if I need more than 100%?
The target is out of reach even with a perfect score, unless the final has extra credit. Look at the next letter down to see the best grade still possible.
Is the final grade needed rounded?
The tables round up to one decimal, so the number shown is always enough. The calculator gives the exact value.