I Have a 86 in the Class — What Do I Need on the Final?
Going into the final with a 86%: if the final is worth the typical 20%, you need more than a perfect score (an A isn't reachable) and 56% for a B. 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 | 26% | Locked in ✓ | Locked in ✓ |
| 15% | Not possible | 46% | Locked in ✓ | Locked in ✓ |
| 20% | Not possible | 56% | 6% | Locked in ✓ |
| 25% | Not possible | 62% | 22% | Locked in ✓ |
| 30% | 99.3% | 66% | 32.7% | Locked in ✓ |
| 40% | 96% | 71% | 46% | 21% |
| 50% | 94% | 74% | 54% | 34% |
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 86% and a heavily weighted final, your ceiling is 93% (50% weight) to 87.4% (10% weight). The math: needed = (target − current × (1 − weight)) ÷ weight.
Worth knowing
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.
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.
Common questions
Do these calculators store my grades?
No. Everything is computed in your browser the moment you press Calculate — nothing is uploaded, saved or seen by anyone else. Refresh the page and it's gone.
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.