SwiftShort answer
With 48.15 points banked and 45% of the course still ungraded (exam 2 at 20%, final at 25%), an A− (90) requires a 92.99 average across the two — about 93 on exam 2 and the same on the final. If exam 2 lands at 88, the final must be a 96.99, which is why five points of extra credit changes the plan more than another night of cramming.
Scope and assumptions
Assumes a straight weighted syllabus with no curve and no dropped scores. The syllabus is the final word. This page is informational and is not an official grade record.
When a student brings me a syllabus with two exams left, I go straight to the combined weight. Bank what is finished, then divide what the target still needs by the weight of everything left. With two exams at 20% and 25%, the combined weight is 45% — and that single division tells you whether the A is alive.
Find your scenario
- One final only? → Final grade guide
- Target letter with work outstanding? → Required grade guide
- Category weights from the syllabus? → Weighted grade guide
What is a two-exam-left calculation?
Most finals-week questions are not about one exam — they are about the last stretch of the syllabus: exam 2, the final, sometimes a project. The math is the same formula, applied to the combined weight of whatever is ungraded.
How the final grade formula works
Needed average on remaining work = (target − banked points) ÷ remaining weight
Worked example: final grade with two exams left
BIOL 240, three weeks left. The syllabus: exam 1 at 20%, exam 2 at 20%, final at 25%, homework at 20%, quizzes at 15%.
| Component | Weight | Average | Banked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exam 1 | 20% | 84.5 | 16.90 |
| Homework | 20% | 91.2 | 18.24 |
| Quizzes | 15% | 86.75 | 13.01 |
| Banked total | 55% | 48.15 |
Remaining weight: exam 2 (20%) + final (25%) = 45%. The ceiling with perfect scores is 48.15 + 45 = 93.15, so an A is barely possible and an A− (90) is the realistic fight.
Joint requirement: (90 − 48.15) ÷ 0.45 = 93.0 on the two exams combined
Weighing two remaining exams
That 92.99 is not "93 on each." It is a weighted average: 0.20 × exam 2 + 0.25 × final = 41.85. Run the realistic sequence — exam 2 lands at 88:
0.20 × 88 = 17.60 banked Final must deliver (41.85 − 17.60) ÷ 0.25 = 24.25 ÷ 0.25 = 96.99
A 96.99 final is a different animal from a 93. This is why the earlier exam deserves more panic: it is the one that can still lower the bar.
Extra credit to bridge the gap
The syllabus offers a 5-point bonus assignment. Added to the banked side:
(90 − 53.15) ÷ 0.45 = 36.85 ÷ 0.45 = 81.89 combined
Five bonus points dropped the requirement from 92.99 to 81.89 — a bigger swing than any realistic improvement from another weekend of studying. When the numbers are this tight, extra credit is not a rounding error; it is the plan.
Can extra credit save your grade?
Sometimes it is the only thing that can. If the requirement exceeds 100%, no study plan closes it — but a capped bonus, a replacement policy or an extra problem set can. Ask before the last day of class, not after the final.
Two exams left is one joint target: use the Final Grade Calculator and grade-needed tool to split the requirement. For the full walkthrough, see what you need on a 40%-weighted final to get an A.
How much does exam two have to carry?
- Applying the remaining requirement to the wrong weight — 45% of the course, not 45% of the exam.
- Treating "92.99 average" as an equal split; the 25% final carries more than the 20% exam.
- Ignoring extra credit because it "only" adds a few points; near a boundary, every point counts double.
FAQ
Q: How do I calculate what I need with two exams left? Bank the finished components, then divide what the target still requires by the combined weight of the remaining work.
Q: What average do I need on two exams weighted 20% and 25%? Divide the remaining requirement by 0.45 — for an A− at 90 with 48.15 banked, that is (90 − 48.15) ÷ 0.45 = 92.99.
Q: Can extra credit save my grade? Often yes — bonus points add to the banked side, shrinking what the remaining exams must produce.
Q: How should I weigh studying for two exams? By weight: a 25% final moves the grade 1.25× as much per point as a 20% exam.
Q: What if the needed average is over 100%? The target is closed on exams alone — pursue extra credit or lower the target.
Q: Does the order of the exams matter? Not mathematically, but a stronger earlier exam lowers the bar for the later one if you recalculate after each result.
Q: Should I aim for the A or the A−? Compute both; if the A needs over 100%, the A− becomes the working target.
Q: How accurate is a projection before exam 2? It is exact on banked points and only as good as your assumption about the remaining scores — recalculate after each posts.
Sources: grading and weighting conventions (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grading_in_education).
Disclaimer: Assumes a straight weighted syllabus with no curve and no dropped scores. The syllabus is the final word. This page is informational and is not an official grade record.