What do I need to get an A?
Target A (93%), final worth 25%: with an 88% going in you need 108% on the exam, which means the A is gone and the honest target is a B. With a 91% and a 20%-weight final, you need 101% for the A but only 86% for an A−. Possibility is a number, not a feeling.
Aspirational planner · 93% target · free, always
Current 88%, final worth 25%, target A (93%) =
108.0% the A is out of reach
The downgrade: an A− (90%) needs 92.0% on the final.
needed = (target − current × (1 − weight)) ÷ weight
Your numbers, your verdict
| Current | Final weight | Target | Needed | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 91% | 20% | A− (90%) | 86.0% | Already close: one good exam |
| 91% | 20% | A (93%) | 101.0% | Out of reach by a point |
| 88% | 25% | A (93%) | 108.0% | Gone: aim at the B |
The already-there scenario
At 91% with a 20%-weight final, an A− needs 86% on the exam, and even a 70% final still lands you near 87%. This is the page's most useful verdict: stop overstudying. Students burn their last two weeks defending a grade they have already locked, and the hours come straight out of the courses where the margin is real. If the calculator says a 60% final still holds your A−, your study plan for this class is done; go win the other one.
Protecting a scholarship GPA vs chasing one grade
When a GPA threshold funds your tuition, the unit of analysis is the semester, not the class. A B+ in one course and an A in another often beats two A− attempts that both miss. Run the calculator for every class with the same target and allocate hours to the cheapest marginal points: the course where ten study hours buy a letter grade, not the one where they buy two points on a final you cannot ace anyway. Realistic goal-downgrading is not giving up; it is portfolio management.
Estimates, not academic advice. Grade thresholds vary by school. Confirm the A line in your syllabus.
Common questions
What do I need on my final to get an A?
With 88% going in and a 25%-weight final, 108%: the A is out of reach. Enter your current grade and weight above for your exact number.
Is 93% an A?
At most U.S. schools, yes (A = 93–100, A− = 90–92). Some schools differ, so check your syllabus.
Should I keep studying for an A I cannot reach?
Reallocate. Hours spent defending an impossible A are hours stolen from courses where the margin is live. The calculator shows which is which.
Can extra credit save my A?
Sometimes: 2–3 points of extra credit on the current grade moves the needed final score down by roughly (points × (1 − weight)) ÷ weight. Ask before the exam.
Next from the ledger
What do I need on my final to pass?: the survival version of this math
Final worth 30%: when the final decides the grade
Weighted grade calculator: see where the current grade actually comes from