I failed the midterm — what do I need on the final?
A bad midterm is recoverable more often than it feels. Sitting at 62% with a final worth 30%, a C needs an 98.7 — which is a genuine warning that one exam may not be enough. Work out the number first, then decide what it is telling you.
Common plus/minus convention; many schools use straight letters or different cut points.
You need 98.7% on the final.
That is within reach — the final is worth 30% of your grade.
🔢 Show the math
- Work graded so far covers 70% of the course; 30% is still to come.
- Points already banked: 62% × 70% = 43.4 points of the 100 available.
- To finish at 73% you still need 29.6 points from the remaining 30%.
- 29.6 ÷ 30 × 100 = 98.67% on what is left.
What you need, at every current grade
With a final worth 30% of your course grade and a C (73% 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? |
|---|---|---|
| 75% | 68.3% | Yes |
| 70% | 80.0% | Yes |
| 66% | 89.3% | Yes |
| 62% | 98.7% | Yes |
| 57% | 110.3% | Not with this final alone |
| 50% | 126.7% | 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
Can one final really undo a failed midterm?
Sometimes, and the deciding factor is weight rather than effort. A final worth 40% can absorb a bad midterm; one worth 15% cannot, whatever you do. Enter your real weights before concluding either that you are fine or that you are finished.
Does my course replace a low midterm with the final?
A surprising number do, and it is the single most valuable thing to check right now. The policy is often one line in the syllabus — a final that "may replace the lower midterm" changes the arithmetic completely and is easy to miss.
Should I talk to my instructor?
Yes, and sooner rather than in the last week. Instructors can tell you what the exam actually covers, whether a replacement policy applies, and occasionally whether any credit remains available. That conversation is far more productive before the exam than after the grade.
What if the number comes back above 100?
Then the target is arithmetically out of reach, and the useful question changes from how to reach it to what is still worth protecting. Look at the best-possible figure, aim at the highest grade still available, and check whether withdrawal is still open.
Other targets
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