What this tool does
Right before finals week, every student asks the same question: what do I need on the final to pass this class? This calculator answers it with three inputs: your current accumulated grade, how much the final exam is worth, and the minimum passing grade. It instantly returns the exact score you need — and tells you whether that score is actually reachable or mathematically impossible on the final alone.
Grading systems vary a lot between countries, so the tool ships with ready-made scale presets: 0 to 100 with a passing mark of 70 (used in the Dominican Republic and similar to many US courses), 0 to 10 in Mexico and Spain, 1 to 7 in Chile, 0 to 20 in Peru, and 0 to 5 in Colombia. Everything runs locally in your browser, so your grades never leave your device.
How to use it
- Pick your grading scale from the country selector. The passing grade fills in automatically, and you can edit it if you are chasing a higher target than a bare pass.
- Type your current accumulated grade — the average of everything graded so far, before the final.
- Enter the final exam weight as a percentage of the course grade (a final worth 30% means you type 30).
- Read the live result and check the scenario table, which shows what you would need to finish the course with grades above the passing mark.
The math behind it
A course grade splits into two buckets: coursework, weighted at 1 − w, and the final exam, weighted at w (as a decimal). Solving for the exam score gives:
Needed score = (passing grade − current grade × (1 − w)) / w
If the needed score comes out above the top of the scale, passing no longer depends on the final by itself. If it comes out at or below the bottom of the scale, you have already locked in a pass even with the lowest possible exam score.
Built-in presets:
| Country | Scale | Passing grade |
|---|---|---|
| Dominican Republic | 0 to 100 | 70 |
| Mexico | 0 to 10 | 6 |
| Colombia | 0 to 5 | 3.0 |
| Chile | 1 to 7 | 4.0 |
| Peru | 0 to 20 | 10.5 |
| Spain | 0 to 10 | 5 |
Worked example
Say your current grade is 65 on a 0 to 100 scale, the final is worth 30%, and you pass with 70:
- Coursework weighs 1 − 0.30 = 0.70, so it contributes 65 × 0.70 = 45.5 points.
- Reaching 70 requires 70 − 45.5 = 24.5 more points, all from the exam.
- Needed score = 24.5 / 0.30 = 81.67.
Since 81.67 is below 100, passing is within reach: score at least 81.67 on the final and you are through. Aiming to finish with an 80 instead? You would need (80 − 45.5) / 0.30 = 115 — over the maximum, so that goal is out of reach through the exam alone.
Frequently asked questions
What does an “impossible” result mean?
It means even a perfect score on the final will not get you to your target, because your coursework average drags the total down too far. Your best moves are asking the instructor about extra credit, double-checking pending grades, or preparing for a retake or make-up exam.
Can I aim for a grade higher than the passing mark?
Yes. The passing grade field is editable: if you want to know what it takes to finish with a 90, type 90. The scenario table also previews several targets between the passing mark and the maximum at once.
Are the preset passing grades the same at every school?
Not necessarily. The presets use each country’s most common convention — for example 10.5 out of 20 at most Peruvian universities and 4.0 out of 7 in Chile — but individual institutions can set different cutoffs. If yours differs, just edit the passing grade field.
What if the final exam is worth 100% of my grade?
The formula still works: with a weight of 100% your coursework contributes nothing, and the needed score simply equals the passing grade. Enter 100 as the weight and read the result.
Does the calculator store my grades?
No. All calculations happen client-side in your browser; nothing is uploaded, tracked, or saved anywhere.