How does extra credit change what I need on the final?
Entirely, and by an amount that depends on where the points land. From 79% with a final worth 20%, a B needs 99. Extra credit lifting the current grade to 82% drops that requirement to 87. Whether the points go into a category or onto the course total decides how much lifting they do.
Common plus/minus convention; many schools use straight letters or different cut points.
You need 99% on the final.
That is within reach — the final is worth 20% of your grade.
🔢 Show the math
- Work graded so far covers 80% of the course; 20% is still to come.
- Points already banked: 79% × 80% = 63.2 points of the 100 available.
- To finish at 83% you still need 19.8 points from the remaining 20%.
- 19.8 ÷ 20 × 100 = 99% on what is left.
What you need, at every current grade
With a final worth 20% of your course grade and a B (83% on a plus-minus scale) as the goal, this is the score you need on the final from each starting point:
| Current grade | You need on the final | Reachable? |
|---|---|---|
| 89% | 59.0% | Yes |
| 85% | 75.0% | Yes |
| 82% | 87.0% | Yes |
| 79% | 99.0% | Yes |
| 75% | 115.0% | Not with this final alone |
| 69% | 139.0% | Not with this final alone |
Grading scales vary by institution — your school's own table and syllabus govern. Conversions shown here follow common published conventions.
Frequently asked questions
What are the two ways extra credit is applied?
Either points are added to what you earned inside a category without raising what was available, or points are added straight to the course total. Ten bonus points in a 200-point homework category worth 20% move the course by one point. Two points added to the total move it by two.
Why does one point of current grade remove five from the exam?
Because with a 20% final your banked grade covers the other 80%. A point added there is worth a point outright, while the exam only contributes a fifth of whatever it scores. So a point of current grade replaces five exam points, which is why bonus work is disproportionately valuable when the final is light.
When should I ask about extra credit?
Early enough that the instructor can say yes without inventing something. A request in the last week asks for an exception; a request in week eight asks about a policy. Phrase it as a question about what already exists — an optional assignment, a revision, a research participation credit — rather than a favour.
Can extra credit be refused fairly?
Yes, and it commonly is. Many departments prohibit individual arrangements precisely because offering one student an opportunity not offered to the class is a grading-equity problem. An answer of no usually reflects that rule rather than a judgement of you, and the productive follow-up is asking what remains gradeable.
Other targets
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