Exam Score Calculator: Midterms, Finals, and High-Stakes Tests
You have a midterm or final coming up. You know how many points it is worth, and you might know what percentage you need to hit to maintain your grade in the class. You want to figure out what score you’ll get, or what score you need to aim for.
This calculator does both. Enter your points earned or your target percentage, choose whether there is a curve, and see your exam score, letter grade, and GPA. You can also check the quick table to see what different point totals would result in.
What Makes This an Exam Calculator
Exams are different from regular tests or quizzes. They are usually higher-stakes (midterms, finals, comprehensive exams), worth more of your grade, and sometimes curved.
This calculator is built for that exam context:
- Target percentage: Enter the exam score you need, like “I need a 90%”, and the calculator shows you how many points that requires.
- Curve options: Exams are more likely to be curved than regular tests. You can apply a simple curve, add points, scale to the top score, and see the impact immediately.
- Quick table: See a range of possible scores at a glance. If the exam is 150 points, the table shows what 0, 15, 30, 45… points would translate to in terms of percentage, letter grade, and GPA.
For regular tests or quizzes that aren’t high-stakes, use the test grade calculator. This tool is for the big ones.
The Target Percentage Feature
This feature makes exam planning easier.
Let’s say you need a 90% on your final to maintain an A in the class. The final is worth 200 points. You want to know: how many points is that?
Enter “90” in the “Target exam %” field. The calculator shows you need 180 points (90% of 200).
If your professor adds 10 bonus points, you can enter that in the curve section. The calculator shows you need 170 points (170 + 10 bonus = 180), which is 90% of 200.
This is particularly useful when:
- You know the grade you need in the class, and you have already calculated that you need X% on the final to get it. Use the final grade calculator for that step.
- Your professor has announced a curve, and you want to know how it affects the raw score you need.
- You’re planning study time and want to know, “If I aim for 85%, that’s how many points? Is that realistic?”
The target percentage translates your grade goal into a concrete point target you can work toward.
Points Mode vs. Percent Mode
The calculator has two modes because exams are graded differently.
Points mode is for when you know the earned points and total points. You received 142 out of 180 and want to know the percentage, letter grade, and GPA. This is the default mode and the most common use case.
Formula: (points earned / total points) × 100
Percent mode is for when you already have percentages, e.g, your professor posted percentages instead of raw scores, or you calculated them separately. You enter 78.9%, choose your grading scheme, and see the letter grade and GPA.
Most students will use the points mode. Percent mode is available if needed, but the main value of this calculator is converting raw points and providing a full breakdown, especially when a curve or target is involved.
Curve Options for Exams
Exams are more likely to be curved than regular tests. Professors curve when an exam turns out harder than expected or when they want to normalize scores across sections.
This calculator gives you three curve options:
None: no curve. Your raw score is your final score. Use this if your professor hasn’t announced a curve or if the exam is not being curved.
Add points: the professor adds a fixed number of bonus points to everyone. If the curve is “everyone gets 5 extra points,” your 75/100 becomes 80/100. Enter the bonus points in the curve section, and the calculator shows your curved score.
Scale to top score: the highest raw score in the class becomes 100%, and everyone else is scaled proportionally. If the top score was 85/100, the calculator treats that as 100% and adjusts your score accordingly. You need to know the top score your professor may announce.
Scale to max: scales your raw percentage to a maximum percentage. If the professor says, “I am scaling everyone so the max is 95%,” enter 95 as the maximum percentage. Your 80% raw becomes (80/100) × 95 = 76% scaled.
Most exam curves are “add points.” The other options are there for specific scenarios.
The Quick Table
Below the main result, a quick table shows sample scores across the exam range.
If your exam is worth 100 points, the table might show scores at 0, 10, 20, 30, …, 100, along with the percentage, curved percentage (if applicable), letter grade, and GPA for each.
This is useful for getting a sense of the full range. “If I get 70 points, that’s a C+. If I get 85, that’s a B+.” You can scan the table and see where different scores land.
It’s also useful for checking edge cases. “The difference between a B and a B+ is 3 points on this exam.” That kind of insight helps with exam strategy.
When to Use This vs. Other Calculators
Use this exam score when:
- You are dealing with a midterm, final, or other high-stakes exam
- You want to know what your exam score will be or what you need to get
- There might be a curve, and you want to account for it
Use the test grade calculator when:
- It is a regular test or quiz, not a major exam
- You do not need target percentage or curve features
- You just want a quick percentage-to-letter-grade conversion
Use the final grade calculator when:
- You want to know what grade you need on the final to get a certain overall grade in the class
- You’re working backward from a desired course grade
The line: test grade = simple conversion. Exam score = planning + curves. Final grade = reverse calculation (“what do I need?”).
FAQ: Exam Score Calculator
What is the difference between this and the test grade calculator?
The test grade calculator is for general tests and quizzes. This exam calculator is specifically for high-stakes exams (midterms, finals) and includes features like target percentage (to plan what you need to get) and curve options, which are more common on exams than on regular tests.
How does the target percentage work?
Enter the exam percentage you want to achieve, e.g., 90%. The calculator shows you how many points that requires. If there’s a curve, it accounts for that too, so you can see how many raw points you need to earn to hit your target after the curve is applied.
Can I use this for a final exam?
Yes. This works for any exam, midterm, final, cumulative, or otherwise. If you are trying to figure out what grade you need on the final to get a certain overall grade in the class, use the final grade calculator first to determine the target percentage, then use this calculator to see what that percentage means in terms of raw points.
What if I do not yet know the curve?
Leave the curve set to “None” and calculate your raw score. Once your professor announces the curve, if there is one, you can come back, select the curve type, enter the parameters, and see your adjusted score.
Does the quick table update when I change the curve?
Yes. The quick table shows curved percentages if you have selected a curve. It updates automatically when you change curve settings or exam parameters.
Can I use this for quizzes?
You can, but the test grade calculator is simpler for quizzes. This calculator’s features, target percentage, curves, and quick table are designed for exams where those things matter. For a quick quiz score, the test grade calculator is faster.
Related Tools
- Test Grade Calculator: For regular tests and quizzes. Simpler, faster, no curve or target features.
- Final Grade Calculator: To figure out what grade you need on the final to achieve a desired overall grade in the class. Use this first to get your target percentage, then use the exam score calculator to see what that means in points.
Exams are high-stakes. You want to know where you stand or where you need to be.
This calculator takes the exam’s point total, applies any curve your professor announced, and shows you the score, letter grade, and GPA. Use the target feature to plan, check the quick table to understand the range, and adjust the curve settings as needed.