Points-based and weighted course grades
Points mode divides total earned by total possible points. Weighted mode reports both the score contribution toward the whole course and a current percentage normalized by the weight entered. With 90 at a 40% weight and no other rows, the contribution is 36 course points and the normalized current grade is 90%; 60% of the course is still unrepresented.
Once your institution has assigned letter grades, the GPA Calculator combines them with course credits using your selected grade-point scale.
The formula
A score of 90 with a 40% weight contributes 36 course points. Letter grades use an example 90/80/70/60 scale; your syllabus may differ.
Two assignments worth 150 points
Scores of 80/100 and 45/50 total 125 out of 150. The grade is 83.33%, a B on the example scale.
How to use this calculator
- Choose By assignment points if your class uses earned and available points, or By category weights if your syllabus assigns percentages to categories.
- Enter the points you earned and the points available for each assignment. In category mode, enter your grade percentage and the category’s weight in class. Use 40 for a 40% weight.
- Add or remove rows as needed. Names are optional and help you keep track of assignments or categories. Empty rows are ignored; a partly filled row needs both numbers.
- For a current weighted grade, enter only completed categories. The weight total below the rows shows how much of the course you have included. Weights must be positive and cannot total more than 100%.
- Calculate and compare the percentage and example letter grade with your syllabus. Switching methods keeps your entries for each method. Reset restores the two example assignments.
- In category mode, open the optional remaining-work planner and enter the grade you want in the class. Calculate the average you need on the unused course weight. Leave all ungraded work out of the rows above when using this planner.
- Open the next-grade planner, enter your overall target and, for points mode, the next assignment’s possible points. Set school-specific letter cutoffs under Advanced options when needed.
Points and weights answer different questions
In a points course, a 100-point exam counts twice as much as a 50-point quiz.
In a weighted course, the syllabus assigns explicit importance to categories.
Current grade versus final grade
When weights total under 100%, the normalized result describes completed categories.
The optional planner uses the score contribution from completed categories. It subtracts that contribution from your target and divides by the unused course weight. If completed work contributes 41.675 course points and accounts for 50% of the course, an 85% target requires an average of 86.65% on the remaining 50%.
Missing work, dropped scores, and extra credit follow the instructor’s policy.
Planning one more assignment
In points mode, the planner holds completed points fixed and adds the next assignment’s possible points to the denominator. Required earned points = target percentage × new possible total / 100 − earned points so far, with a minimum of zero. For 125 earned out of 150 possible, a target of 85% after a 100-point assignment requires 87.50 points.
The displayed requirement rounds upward to the next hundredth. A target requiring more than the assignment’s possible points is out of reach under the stated cap. Later assignments, dropped scores and extra credit need their own course policy. Weighted mode retains its separate remaining-weight planner.
Assumptions & limitations
What this calculation assumes
- Rows match the chosen method.
- Weighted values are percentages from 0 to 100.
- Letter cutoffs use the example 90/80/70/60 scale unless you select custom cutoffs or percentage only.
What to keep in mind
- Custom letter cutoffs are configurable; dropped scores, extra-credit policy and other institution rules are not inferred.
- The current grade describes only entered work. The optional planner assumes all unused weight belongs to future work; it cannot infer your syllabus or missing assignments.
- Rows are limited to 100.
- Letter grades compare the unrounded percentage with the selected cutoffs. A displayed 90.00% can still be below an exact 90% cutoff.
Common questions
Must weights total 100%?
A final calculation normally does. A lower total yields a normalized current grade.
Why not average percentages?
Different point values or weights should not count equally.
Can I enter decimals?
Yes. Use a period for decimals.
Should an ungraded assignment be entered as zero?
Leave it out when estimating a grade based only on completed work. Entering zero assigns an actual zero score to its points or weight. Whether unsubmitted work should count as zero depends on the course policy.
Will switching methods erase my grades?
Your assignment rows and category rows are kept separately while the page is open. Switch back to return to those entries. Reset restores the example and clears both sets of edits.
What if the planner says I need more than 100%?
Your target cannot be reached under the entered weights with scores capped at 100%. Extra credit or a different grading policy may change that. Required averages within reach are rounded up to two decimal places so the displayed score does not fall short of the target.
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