Exam Score Needed Calculator
The mark you need on the final to reach a target grade — and whether that mark is actually reachable.
Your current work is worth some share of the subject and the final is worth the rest.
How the exam score needed calculator works
Your current work is worth some share of the subject and the final is worth the rest. The mark you need is the target less what you have already banked, divided by the weight the final carries.
The result is often above 100%, which is the useful answer: it tells you the target is out of reach and you should aim at the next grade down rather than at something arithmetic forbids. The lighter the final, the more often that happens.
Formula: needed = (target − current × current weight) / final weight
Worked examples
| Inputs | Mark needed on the final | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 68% over 60% of the subject, aiming for 75 | 85.5% | 85.5% needed |
| A lighter final | 114.67% | the target becomes unreachable |
| Just passing | 23% | far easier |
FAQFrequently asked questions
How do I work out what I need on the final?
Subtract the marks you have already banked from your target, then divide by the weight the final carries.
Why is the answer over 100%?
Because the target is arithmetically out of reach given what you have banked and how little the final is worth. It is a real answer, not an error.
What are banked marks?
Your current mark multiplied by the share of the subject already assessed — 68% over 60% of the subject banks 40.8 marks out of 100.
Does a heavier final help or hurt?
It helps if you are behind and hurts if you are ahead, because it gives the final more power to move the total in either direction.
Should I aim lower?
If the needed mark is above about 90%, planning around the next grade down is usually the better use of the time you have left.
Where these figures come from
- Brysbaert (2019), Journal of Memory and Language — How many words do we read per minute? — the 238 wpm silent reading rate, from 190 studies
- US Department of Education — the federal education department
Last checked: September 2026. Reading and writing rates are from published meta-analyses, cited on the page.