I Have a 71 in the Class — What Do I Need on the Final?
Going into the final with a 71%: if the final is worth the typical 20%, you need more than a perfect score (an A isn't reachable). Every common weight is below — or set your exact numbers in the calculator.
Runs entirely in your browser — nothing is saved or sent anywhere.
What you need at every final-exam weight
| Final worth | For A | For B | For C | For Pass (D) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10% | Not possible | Not possible | 61% | Locked in ✓ |
| 15% | Not possible | Not possible | 64.3% | Locked in ✓ |
| 20% | Not possible | Not possible | 66% | 16% |
| 25% | Not possible | Not possible | 67% | 27% |
| 30% | Not possible | Not possible | 67.7% | 34.3% |
| 40% | Not possible | 93.5% | 68.5% | 43.5% |
| 50% | Not possible | 89% | 69% | 49% |
Reading this table
"Locked in" means even a zero on the final keeps that grade. "Not possible" means a perfect final still wouldn't get you there — with a 71% and a heavily weighted final, your ceiling is 85.5% (50% weight) to 73.9% (10% weight). The math: needed = (target − current × (1 − weight)) ÷ weight.
Worth knowing
The final isn't all-or-nothing
Because finals are usually worth 20–40%, your semester of work is protecting you more than you think. Run the numbers: the score you actually need is often lower — sometimes dramatically lower — than the panic estimate.
Confirm the scale in your syllabus
The 90/80/70/60 letter cutoffs used here are the most common US scale, but plenty of courses curve, use plus/minus bands differently, or set an A at 94. The syllabus — not any calculator — is the contract that counts.
Common questions
How are letter grades calculated from percentages?
Most US schools map percentages to letters in 10-point bands: 90–100 is an A range, 80–89 a B range, 70–79 a C range, 60–69 a D range, and below 60 an F. Plus/minus splits each band roughly in thirds (e.g. 90–92 = A-, 93–96 = A, 97+ = A+). Individual schools and professors can and do vary the cutoffs.
What's the difference between weighted and unweighted averages?
An unweighted average treats every score equally: add them up, divide by the count. A weighted average multiplies each category by its share of the grade first — homework 20%, midterms 40%, final 40% — which is how most courses actually work. If your syllabus lists category percentages, you need the weighted version.