Final Grade Calculator
- University Grade
- Final Grade
Disclaimer: Whilst every effort has been made in building our calculator tools, we are not to be held liable for any damages or monetary losses arising out of or in connection with their use. Full disclaimer.
What mark do I need on my final exam?
As final season approaches, it's worth figuring out exactly what mark you need to ensure you get the grade you want.
Class grades tend to be made up of many different things: your classwork, test and quizzes that you take in class, homework, and any projects or presentations that you might have to undertake. Each of these will be given a weight, usually expressed as a percentage point. By looking at these, you'll be able to track your GPA as the school year evolves.
Then comes the final. Unlike the other categories, the final can't be scored until the very end of the course. What's more, it often has a hefty weight attached to it. This means that how you perform on the final can have a serious impact on your overall GPA. By calculating your desired mark in advance, you'll have a clearer idea of how to proceed.
How can I calculate my required final grade?
There's a formula to calculate the mark you need on your final. To use it, you'll need to know three key pieces of information:
- Your current grade
- The grade you want to achieve
- The weight of your final exam
We can then feed this data into the formula, which looks like this:
Final goal grade = [ Target Grade - Current Grade × (100% - Weight of Final %) ] ÷ Weight of Final %
Example calculation
Let's go through an example. We'll say your final exam is worth 40% of your overall grade. You're currently sitting on a grade of 75%, and you'd like to bump that up to 80%.
First, we need to subtract the final weight from 100. In this case, that's 100 - 40 = 60. That means 60% of your grade in our example is made up of classwork etc.
By multiplying .6 x 75 we get 45%. Remember, we're aiming for 80% overall. We need to get that score up by 35%. Divide 35 by 0.4 (the decimal value of the final exam weighting) and we see that we need 87.5% on the final.
Don't worry if you're not a mathematics major. Our calculator has been designed to do the hard work for you. All you have to do is input your numbers.
How can I convert a letter grade to a percentage?
Always check with your school, as exact systems can vary. This is a rough guide, based on criteria used in many US colleges and high schools. Be sure to double check for your particular institution: 1
| Letter Grade | Percentage (%) | GPA |
|---|---|---|
| A+ | 97–100% | 4.3 |
| A | 93–96% | 4.0 |
| A- | 90–92% | 3.7 |
| B+ | 87–89% | 3.3 |
| B | 83–86% | 3.0 |
| B- | 80–82% | 2.7 |
| C+ | 77-79% | 2.3 |
| C | 73–76% | 2.0 |
| C- | 70–72% | 1.7 |
| D+ | 67–69% | 1.3 |
| D | 65–66% | 1.0 |
| E/F | Below 65 | 0.0 |
UK A-level grading
The table below depicts the grading system for A-Levels within the UK, from Cambridge International. These include a common scale of ranges for Percentage Uniform Mark (PUM). 2
| Letter Grade | PUM Range (%) |
|---|---|
| A+ | 90–100% |
| A | 80–89% |
| B | 70–79% |
| C | 60–69% |
| D | 50–59% |
| E | 40–49% |
| U (Ungraded) | 0–40% |
UK university grading
The table below depicts the grading system for UK universities. 3
| Classification | Percentage (%) |
|---|---|
| First (1st) | 70%+ |
| Upper Second Class (2:1) | 60–69% |
| Lower Second Class (2:2) | 50–59% |
| Third Class | 40–49% |
References
- How to Convert Your GPA to a 4.0 Scale, the College Board.
- Cambridge International AS & A Level guide, Cambridge Assessment.
- How Does the UK University Grading System Work?, Uni Compare.
If you have any problems using our calculator tool, please contact us.