How to Calculate Your Grade After the Final Exam
Two formulas cover almost every case: one for the grade you will finish with, and one for the score you need to reach a target. Each is shown below with worked numbers, plus the points method, what to do when the final doesn't count, and what to do when the answer is over 100%.
Final grade = current grade × (1 − final weight) + final score × final weight
Score you need = (target − current × (1 − final weight)) ÷ final weight
Example: 84% before the final and 92% on a final worth 30% gives 86.4%.
Last reviewed: October 2026
The formula for your grade after the final
Most courses split the grade into two parts: everything before the final, and the final itself. Your course grade is the weighted average of those two parts.
Final grade = current grade × (1 − final weight) + final score × final weight
Write the weight as a decimal, so a final worth 30% is 0.30 and everything else is 0.70.
- Current grade: your grade on everything except the final, as your gradebook shows it before the final is graded.
- Final weight: the share of the course the final is worth, from the syllabus.
- Final score: the percentage you scored (or expect to score) on the exam.
Worked example
Current grade 84%, final worth 30%, final score 92%.
Everything else: 84 × 0.70 = 58.8
The final: 92 × 0.30 = 27.6
58.8 + 27.6 = 86.4%, a B
To try different scores without the arithmetic, use the final grade calculator.
How to find the score you need on the final
If you already know the grade you want, solve the same equation for the final score:
Needed score = (target − current × (1 − final weight)) ÷ final weight
Example: 78% now, a 80% target, and a final worth 25%.
- Multiply your current grade by the rest of the course: 78 × 0.75 = 58.5.
- Subtract that from the target: 80 − 58.5 = 21.5.
- Divide by the final's weight: 21.5 ÷ 0.25 = 86%.
You need 86% or higher on the final to finish at 80%. For a quick lookup across many combinations of current grade and weight, the final grade calculator has reference tables and letter-grade targets.
What if I score…? A what-if table
With 84% going in and a final worth 30%, here is the course grade for different final scores:
| Final exam score | Course grade | Letter | Change from 84% |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100% | 88.8% | B+ | +4.8 |
| 90% | 85.8% | B | +1.8 |
| 80% | 82.8% | B- | −1.2 |
| 70% | 79.8% | C+ | −4.2 |
| 60% | 76.8% | C | −7.2 |
| 50% | 73.8% | C | −10.2 |
How much can the final change your grade?
There is a simple rule: your grade moves by the final's weight times the gap between your final score and your current grade. A final that matches your current grade changes nothing.
| Final's weight | Final is 10 points below your grade | Final is 20 points below your grade |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | Grade drops 1 points | Grade drops 2 points |
| 20% | Grade drops 2 points | Grade drops 4 points |
| 25% | Grade drops 2.5 points | Grade drops 5 points |
| 30% | Grade drops 3 points | Grade drops 6 points |
| 40% | Grade drops 4 points | Grade drops 8 points |
| 50% | Grade drops 5 points | Grade drops 10 points |
The same numbers apply in the other direction: a final above your grade lifts it by the same amount.
The points method (no weights)
Some courses just add up points. In that case you don't need weights: divide all the points you earned by all the points possible.
Final grade = (points earned so far + final exam points) ÷ (points possible so far + final exam points possible)
Example: 438 of 500 points before the final, and a final worth 100 points where you score 82.
(438 + 82) ÷ 600 = 520 ÷ 600 = 86.67%, a B
Points needed for a target
Multiply the target by the total points, then subtract what you already have. For 85% on 600 points that is 510 − 438 = 72 points, or 72% of the final. A 90% target would need 102 points out of 100, which is not possible.
Is 27 out of 40 a pass?
Divide the score by the total: 27 ÷ 40 = 67.5%. On the plus/minus scale that is a D+, and on a letter-only scale a D. It passes at a 60% line and falls short at 70%, so the answer depends on your pass mark. The grading scale chart lists the cutoffs.
How to calculate your semester grade without the final
If the final is exempt, cancelled or doesn't count, average only the categories that do, using their weights. Dividing by the total of those weights puts the result back on a 0 to 100 scale.
Homework: 90 × 25 = 2250
Quizzes: 85 × 25 = 2125
Midterm: 80 × 30 = 2400
(2250 + 2125 + 2400) ÷ 80 = 84.69%, a B
Policies differ: some instructors redistribute the final's weight across the rest of the course, as above, and others replace a missed final with a zero. Check the syllabus before relying on the number. For many categories at once, the average grade calculator handles ungraded work and dropped scores.
Midterms, projects and more than one exam left
The same formula works for any assessment still ahead. Replace "final" with the midterm or project and use its weight. When two things remain, add their weights and treat them as one block.
Example: 80% now, a 85% target, and a midterm and a final worth 50% together:
(85 − 80 × 0.50) ÷ 0.50 = 90%
That is the average you need across both exams. A higher score on one lets you score lower on the other.
If the score you need is over 100%
Take 84% going in, a final worth 30% and a 90% target:
(90 − 84 × 0.70) ÷ 0.30 = 104%
That is more than a perfect score, so the final alone can't get you there. A perfect final lands you at 88.8%. It is worth asking your instructor about:
- Extra credit that is still open.
- A dropped lowest quiz or assignment.
- A retake, rewrite or grade replacement policy.
- Whether the final replaces a lower midterm score.
Mistakes that give the wrong answer
- Including the final in your current grade. The current grade should cover only the other work.
- Using the wrong "rest of the course" share. If the final is 30%, the rest is 70%, which is 0.70.
- Mixing decimals and percentages. Use 0.30 in the formula, or 30 consistently throughout.
- Mixing points and percentages. Convert points to a percentage first, or use the points method.
- Rounding too early. Round once, at the very end.
- Forgetting curves and dropped scores. Treat the result as an estimate until your instructor posts final grades.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate my grade after the final exam?
Multiply your current grade by the share of the course that isn't the final, multiply your final exam score by the final's weight, and add the two. With 84% before the final, a 92% on a final worth 30% gives 84 × 0.70 + 92 × 0.30 = 86.4%, a B on the standard plus/minus scale.
What is the formula for calculating a final grade?
Final grade = current grade × (1 − final weight) + final score × final weight, with the weight written as a decimal (30% is 0.30). To find the score you need instead, rearrange it: needed score = (target grade − current grade × (1 − final weight)) ÷ final weight.
How do you total your final grade?
Multiply each category's score by its weight and add the results. If your course uses total points instead, divide the points you earned by the points possible. For example, 438 points before the final plus 82 on a 100-point final is 520 out of 600, or 86.67%.
How do I find the score I need on my final exam?
Use needed score = (target − current × (1 − weight)) ÷ weight. With 78% now, a 80% target and a final worth 25%, you need (80 − 58.5) ÷ 0.25 = 86% or higher. The final grade calculator does this for you.
Is 27 out of 40 a pass?
27 out of 40 is 67.5%, which is a D+ on the plus/minus scale and a D on a letter-only scale. That clears a 60% pass mark but not a 70% one, so it depends on your school or course minimum.
How do I calculate my semester grade without the final exam?
If the final doesn't count, average your other categories using only their weights. Homework 90% (weight 25), quizzes 85% (25) and midterm 80% (30) give 84.69%. Check your syllabus first: some courses redistribute the final's weight and others count a missed final as zero.
What if the score I need on the final is more than 100%?
It means the final alone can't get you there. With 84% before a final worth 30%, a 90% target would take 104%, while a perfect final gets you to 88.8%. Ask your instructor about extra credit, a curve or a dropped score.
How much can the final exam change my grade?
Your grade moves by the final's weight times the gap between your final score and your current grade. If a final worth 30% comes in 20 points below your current grade, your course grade drops by 6 points. If it comes in 10 points above, it rises by 3.
Can I use the same formula for a midterm or a project?
Yes. Replace "final" with whatever is still ahead and use its weight. If two assessments remain, such as a midterm and a final, add their weights together and treat them as one block to find the average score you need across both.
Should I round my final grade?
Only if your instructor does. Keep the exact number while you calculate, then round once at the end. Rounding scores along the way can push a total across a cutoff it hasn't really crossed.
Where do I find my final exam weight?
In the syllabus or the grading section of your course page, usually listed as a percentage of the course grade. If it isn't there, ask your instructor.