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Class Speedrun

Final grade calculator

Find the score you need on your final for the grade you want. Free, no sign-up, nothing saved.

How your class counts grades
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More options · Plus/minus scale, no rounding

Scales differ between classes. Use the one in your syllabus.

Only tick this if your syllabus says so.

Your result

Enter your numbers above and the score you need shows here.

Work out your current grade

Add everything that's been graded. Leave the final out.

Tracking this all term? Class Speedrun's Grade Map reads the weights and grade scale from your syllabus and shows what you need on everything left.

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How the math works

Take the grade you want. Subtract what your grade so far is already worth. Divide by what the final is worth.

Needed = (Goal − Current × (1 − Final weight)) ÷ Final weight

Say you're in an intro biology class. Your grade right now is 86.4%, the final is worth 30%, and you want a B+ (87%).

  1. What your grade so far is worth: 86.4 × 0.7 = 60.48
  2. What the final has to add: 87 − 60.48 = 26.52
  3. Divide by the final's weight: 26.52 ÷ 0.3 = 88.4

You need 88.4% on the final for a B+. In this class, each 10 points on the final moves your grade 3 points.

Points instead of percents

If your syllabus counts points, the final's weight is its points divided by all the points in the term. With 700 points in all and a final worth 200, the final is 200 ÷ 700 = 28.6% of your grade. Or switch the calculator to Points and type the points in.

Why your online gradebook number can be wrong

Some online gradebooks count work that isn't graded yet, including the final, as a 0. Some show a total that doesn't use the category weights in your syllabus. Either way, the current grade on screen isn't your grade on graded work, and that's the number this math needs.

To get it, open "Work out your current grade" above and enter each category's weight from your syllabus with your score so far.

Rounding

Some classes round 89.5 up to 90. Others don't. Only your syllabus says which. If yours rounds, tick "My class rounds .5 up" and every cutoff drops by half a point, so an A- needs 89.5 instead of 90.

When the grade you want is out of reach

If you'd need more than 100% on the final, the calculator says so and shows the best letter still possible and the score it needs. Extra credit, a curve, or a final that replaces a low exam score can change that. Those rules vary by class, so the calculator doesn't guess. Ask your instructor.

Using the days you have

Once you know the score you need, spend your time on what's most likely to be on the final, and study it by testing yourself and spreading it out over a few days. A large research review rated practice testing and spaced practice as the two most useful study techniques. Rereading and highlighting were rated low.

Source: Dunlosky et al., 2013 (opens in a new tab)

FAQ

How do I calculate what I need on my final?

Subtract what your current grade is already worth from the grade you want, then divide by the final's weight. As a formula: Needed = (Goal − Current × (1 − Final weight)) ÷ Final weight. Say your grade is 80%, the final is worth 25%, and you want 83%: (83 − 80 × 0.75) ÷ 0.25 = 92. You need 92% on the final.

What if my class uses points, not percents?

Divide the final's points by all the points in the term to get its weight. A 150-point final in a 600-point class is worth 150 ÷ 600 = 25%. Your current grade is the points you've earned divided by the points possible so far. Or switch the calculator to Points and type the points in.

What does it mean if I need more than 100%?

The grade you want can't be reached on the final alone, even with a perfect score. The calculator shows what a 100 gets you and the best letter still in play. If your class has extra credit, a curve, or a final that replaces a low exam, that can change things, so ask your instructor.

What if I need less than 0%?

That grade is already yours: even a 0 on the final keeps you there. One thing to check first: some classes require a minimum score on the final to pass the course, whatever your average. Your syllabus will say if yours does.

What if my final replaces my lowest exam, or the lowest score is dropped?

This calculator assumes a plain weighted final, where your grade so far counts for the rest. A final that replaces a low exam, or a dropped lowest score, changes the math, so the number here can be off. For a dropped lowest score, Grade Map in Class Speedrun does the math. For a final that replaces an exam, use the rule in your syllabus.

Why is the grade in my online gradebook different?

Some gradebooks count work that isn't graded yet, including the final, as a 0. Some show a total that doesn't use the category weights in your syllabus. Either one can make the number on screen differ from your grade on graded work. Open "Work out your current grade" on this page and use the weights from your syllabus.

Does 89.5 round up to an A-?

Only if your syllabus says so. Some classes round to the nearest whole percent and some don't round at all. If yours rounds, tick "My class rounds .5 up" and the calculator lowers every cutoff by half a point.

Is anything I type saved?

No. The math runs in your browser. We don't save or send what you type. Visits to this page are counted the same way as every other page on the site, without cookies.

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This is math on the numbers you enter. Your syllabus and your instructor have the final word on how your grade is figured.