// Q1 + Q2 + final
Semester grade calculator. Two quarters plus the final.
Most high schools calculate semester grades by combining two quarters with a final exam. The most common split is 40% / 40% / 20% (Q1 / Q2 / Final), but your school may use a different system. Enter your grades and weights to see your semester grade.
Updated 28 April 2026
Semester grade calculator
Your semester grade
83.0%
Letter grade: B
How semester grades are calculated
A semester grade is a weighted average of quarter grades and final exam. The most common formula: Semester = (Q1 x 0.40) + (Q2 x 0.40) + (Final x 0.20).
Worked example
Common semester weighting systems
| System | Q1 | Q2 | Mid | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard (most common) | 40% | 40% | - | 20% |
| With separate midterm | 35% | 35% | 10% | 20% |
| Light final exam | 45% | 45% | - | 10% |
| Heavy final exam | 30% | 30% | - | 40% |
| Trimester (3 equal) | 33.3% | 33.3% | - | 33.3% |
Check the student handbook or ask your teacher which system applies. The calculator above accepts any custom weights, so it works for all of these.
What you need on the final to save the semester
Required final scores assuming the standard 40% / 40% / 20% weighting. Pre-final average is (Q1 x 0.40 + Q2 x 0.40) / 0.80, weighted equally between the two quarters.
| Q1 | Q2 | Pre-final avg | For A- (90%) | For B+ (87%) | For B (83%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 95% | 90% | 92.5% | 80.0% | 65.0% | 45.0% |
| 90% | 85% | 87.5% | 100.0% | 85.0% | 65.0% |
| 85% | 85% | 85% | 110.0%* | 95.0% | 75.0% |
| 85% | 80% | 82.5% | 120.0%* | 105.0%* | 85.0% |
| 80% | 80% | 80% | 130.0%* | 115.0%* | 95.0% |
| 80% | 75% | 77.5% | 140.0%* | 125.0%* | 105.0%* |
| 75% | 70% | 72.5% | 160.0%* | 145.0%* | 125.0%* |
* Score exceeds 100% and is not achievable without extra credit. Based on 40% / 40% / 20% weighting.
When one quarter tanks
A bad first quarter is not the end. In a 40/40/20 system, Q1 is 40% of the semester. The other 60% is plenty of room to recover.
70% Q1, aiming for B (83%)
Q1 70 x 0.40 = 28.0 pts
Need 83 - 28 = 55 pts from remaining 60%
Required Q2 + Final avg = 55 / 0.60 = 91.7%
Challenging but possible. Roughly A- performance for the rest of the semester.
65% Q1, aiming for C (73%)
Q1 65 x 0.40 = 26.0 pts
Need 73 - 26 = 47 pts from remaining 60%
Required Q2 + Final avg = 47 / 0.60 = 78.3%
Very achievable. A C+ average for Q2 and the final lands you there.