How to use this grade calculator
- Course grade: enter each assignment's grade and its weight from your syllabus. Switch to Points if your scores look like 18/20. Leave every weight empty for a simple average.
- Final exam: enter your current grade, the overall grade you want and how much the final is worth. You'll see the score you need, plus what different final scores would do to your grade.
- Exam score: enter the marks you scored and the total available to get your percentage, letter grade and GPA.
Every answer updates as you type, and nothing you enter is saved or sent anywhere.
How to calculate a weighted grade
In most courses some work counts more than other work. A final exam might be worth 40% of your grade while homework is worth 10%. A weighted grade multiplies each grade by its weight, adds the results together and divides by the total weight:
Weighted grade = (g₁ × w₁ + g₂ × w₂ + …) ÷ (w₁ + w₂ + …)
Worked example: you scored 90% on a project worth 50%, 80% on a test worth 30% and 70% on homework worth 20%.
(90 × 50 + 80 × 30 + 70 × 20) ÷ 100 = (4,500 + 2,400 + 1,400) ÷ 100 = 83%, a B.
If your weights don't add up to 100, for example because some work hasn't been graded yet, the calculator divides by the total weight you entered. That gives you your grade so far.
Weighted vs unweighted grades
An unweighted, or simple, average treats every grade the same. The three grades above give (90 + 80 + 70) ÷ 3 = 80%, a B−. Weighting them 50/30/20 gives 83% instead, because the highest grade carries the most weight. Use weights whenever your syllabus lists them. Otherwise a simple average is a reasonable estimate.
In Points mode, leaving the weights empty adds up all the points you earned and divides by all the points possible, which is how most points-based gradebooks work.
How to calculate what you need on your final exam
Write the final's weight as a decimal (w) and use:
Needed = (Target − Current × (1 − w)) ÷ w
Worked example: your current grade is 78%, you want 80% overall and the final is worth 25%.
(80 − 78 × 0.75) ÷ 0.25 = (80 − 58.5) ÷ 0.25 = 86%
If the answer is above 100%, the target can't be reached with the final alone. Going from 85% to 90% with a final worth 30% would need 101.67%. If the answer is below 0%, you've already secured your target.
Letter grade, percentage and GPA conversion
| Letter grade | Percentage | GPA |
|---|---|---|
| A+ | 97–100 | 4.0 |
| A | 93–96.99 | 4.0 |
| A− | 90–92.99 | 3.7 |
| B+ | 87–89.99 | 3.3 |
| B | 83–86.99 | 3.0 |
| B− | 80–82.99 | 2.7 |
| C+ | 77–79.99 | 2.3 |
| C | 73–76.99 | 2.0 |
| C− | 70–72.99 | 1.7 |
| D+ | 67–69.99 | 1.3 |
| D | 63–66.99 | 1.0 |
| D− | 60–62.99 | 0.7 |
| F | Below 60 | 0.0 |
This is the most common scale in US high schools and colleges, but grading scales differ between schools and countries. Some schools treat everything from 90 to 100 as a single A, and many countries use different systems altogether. Always check the scale your own school uses.
Tips to raise your grade before the end of term
- Find the heavy hitters. Use the course grade tab to see which remaining work counts most, and put your effort there.
- Run the numbers early. The final exam tab tells you whether you need 75% or 95%, which changes how you should revise.
- Ask about extra credit or resubmissions. Many teachers offer them, but only to students who ask.
- Don't skip small assignments. A single zero pulls an average down faster than one great score pulls it up.
- Talk to your teacher early. Feedback on a draft is often the easiest way to pick up marks.
Frequently asked questions
What if my weights don't add up to 100%?
The calculator divides by the total weight you entered instead of 100. If you have only entered work worth 60% of the course so far, the result is your grade on that 60%, which is your current standing before the remaining work is graded.
Can my grade be above 100%?
Yes, if your teacher gives extra credit. You can enter grades above 100% and the calculator includes them as they are. Any result of 97% or more counts as an A+ on the scale used here.
What is the difference between a percentage and a GPA?
A percentage shows how much of the available marks you earned. A GPA converts your letter grade into points on a 4.0 scale, so grades from different courses can be averaged. For example, 84% is a B, which is worth 3.0 grade points.
How much can my final exam change my grade?
It depends on the final's weight. If the final is worth 20%, every 10 points you score on it moves your overall grade by 2 points. The Final exam tab shows your overall grade for final scores from 50% to 100%.
Is 90% an A or an A−?
On the common US scale used here, 90% to 92.99% is an A− and 93% or more is an A. Some schools count everything from 90% as an A, so check the scale in your syllabus.