What Do I Need on My Final? — Final Exam Grade Calculator
Enter your current grade, how much the final is worth, and your target. GradeLab tells you the exact score you need on the final — instantly, free, with no sign-up and no tracking. Everything runs in your browser.
Standard US cutoffs; your school's scale may differ — check your syllabus.
Add one row per course. Weights must add up to 100%.
Frequently asked questions
What do I need on my final to get an A?
It depends on your current grade and the final's weight. The formula is: (Target − (1 − FinalWeight) × Current) ÷ FinalWeight. For example, with an 85% current grade and a final worth 40%, you need (90 − 0.6 × 85) ÷ 0.4 = 97.5% on the final to finish at 90% (an A). Plug your numbers into the calculator above for an exact answer.
How is the required final exam score calculated?
Your final course grade is a weighted average: FinalGrade = CurrentGrade × (1 − w) + FinalScore × w, where w is the final exam's weight as a decimal (e.g. 40% → 0.4). Solving for the final score gives: Required = (Target − (1 − w) × Current) ÷ w.
What does it mean if I need more than 100%?
It means the target is mathematically out of reach through the final alone — even a perfect score wouldn't get you there. The honest move is to aim for the highest grade you can reach, or ask your instructor about extra credit.
What if I already have the grade I want?
If your current grade, weighted, already meets your target, the required final score is zero or negative. That means you're already safe — you've locked in the grade no matter what happens on the final (as long as the syllabus doesn't require a minimum final score).
How do I average grades across multiple courses?
Multiply each course grade by its weight and add them up; the weights must total 100%. The multi-course mode above does this for you and shows the required final score for each course toward a shared target.
What are the standard letter grade cutoffs?
The common US scale is A ≥ 90%, B ≥ 80%, C ≥ 70%, D ≥ 60%, F below 60%. With plus/minus grading: A+ ≥ 97%, A ≥ 93%, A− ≥ 90%. Grading scales vary by school and instructor, so always confirm your syllabus.