Grade Calculator
Two calculators: turn points into a letter grade, and find the score you need on the final.
Points-Based Grade
85 out of 100 points.
Final Exam Calculator
The score you need on the final to finish the course where you want.
How to Use the Grade Calculator
- Points-based: enter the points you earned and the points the assignment was out of. The percentage and letter grade appear instantly.
- Final exam: enter your current course grade and the grade you want to end with.
- Enter the weight of the final — your syllabus lists this, usually 15% to 30% of the course grade.
- Read the score you need. If it lands above 100%, the target is out of reach on the exam alone.
How It's Calculated
Points-based grade. Divide the points you earned by the points possible and multiply by 100. The letter comes from the standard 10-point scale.
Final exam score needed. Your course grade is a weighted average: everything before the final counts for 1 − w, and the final counts for w, where w is the weight written as a decimal. Solving that average for the exam score gives:
where w = weight ÷ 100
Worked example: an 85% current grade, a 90% target and a final worth 20% gives (90 − 85 × 0.8) ÷ 0.2 = (90 − 68) ÷ 0.2 = 110%. A perfect exam would only reach 88%, so the target needs extra credit or a lower goal.
This assumes a straight weighted average. Curves, dropped scores and extra credit are not modelled — enter the current grade you would have after those adjustments.
Grade Scale Reference
The 10-point scale used by this calculator, with the plus/minus and 7-point variants many schools use instead.
| Letter | 10-point | With +/− | 7-point |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 90–100 | 93–100 | 93–100 |
| A− | — | 90–92 | 90–92 |
| B+ | — | 87–89 | 87–89 |
| B | 80–89 | 83–86 | 85–86 |
| B− | — | 80–82 | 83–84 |
| C+ | — | 77–79 | 80–82 |
| C | 70–79 | 73–76 | 77–79 |
| C− | — | 70–72 | 75–76 |
| D | 60–69 | 63–66 | 70–74 |
| F | 0–59 | 0–59 | 0–69 |
Cutoffs are set by your school or instructor. The syllabus wins over any chart.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my school use a different grading scale?
Scales are set locally. The most common is the 10-point scale — 90 and up is an A, 80–89 a B, and so on. Some schools use a 7-point scale where an A starts at 93, and many add plus and minus grades inside each band. The percentage never changes, only the letter attached to it, so check your syllabus before trusting a cutoff.
How does the final exam formula work?
Your course grade is a weighted average. If the final is worth w as a decimal, everything before it is worth 1 − w. Solving that average for the exam score gives (desired − current × (1 − w)) ÷ w. With an 85% current grade, a 90% target and a final worth 20%, you need 110% — which is the calculator's way of saying a perfect exam still lands you at 88%.
What if I need more than 100% on the final?
The target is no longer reachable through the exam alone — even a perfect score cannot close the gap. Your options are extra credit, a grade replacement or lowest-score-drop policy, a regrade on earlier work, or resetting the target to something still achievable. Ask your instructor before the exam, not after.
Does this handle extra credit or dropped scores?
No. Both calculators use straight arithmetic — a simple percentage and a plain weighted average. If your course drops the lowest test, curves the class, or offers extra credit, work out the current grade you would have after those adjustments and enter that number instead.
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