Home / Guides
How to calculate your final grade
Your course grade is a weighted average, so you can work backward from the grade you want to the score you need.
The formula
Needed = (Target - Current × (1 - Weight)) ÷ Weight
Write the final's weight as a decimal, so 30% becomes 0.30. This version assumes everything except the final is already graded.
An example
You have an 84 and the final is worth 30%. To finish with a 90:
(90 - 84 × 0.70) ÷ 0.30 = 104
You'd need a 104, so a 90 is out of reach without extra credit. To finish with an 85, you'd need about 87.4.
Before you trust the number
Check your syllabus for dropped quizzes, curves, and rules that say you must pass the final to pass the class. A calculator only knows what you type in.