How to Calculate Grade Percentage in High School? (Using Grade Calculator)
In high schools, knowing your grade percentage before your final test is a lifesaving skill. You can change your report card final marks and earn grades that you want by knowing where your current count is taking you and how much more you need to score. So if we say you can change your educational destination, it will not be wrong.
According to a Harvard Business Study, it was observed that students who set goals for their studies are more successful than others who don’t. So calculating your grade percentage before your final test is a wise and necessary decision. This post will help you to learn how you can calculate your grade percentage before your final exam and set goals for achieving your desired result.
Why Use a Grade Calculator?
Calculating your level will take a lot of effort; it will also need careful and accurate figures so you will be able to know your accurate performance score. But you will often not opt for this because it will be tiresome for you. So why do all this hard work manually when you can use a grade calculator that can do it in just a few seconds? According to the US Department of Education, grading policies are designed to assess your academic achievement and progress. That’s why using a reliable grading calculator will guarantee accuracy for you in planning your goals.
Main Methods to Calculate Grade Percentage
For determining your final percentage, you need to first check which grading system or scale your school is following. Most of the schools are using these grading systems. Details of these are below:
Total Points System
In this system each coursework, quiz, test, participation, and group work will have a set number of points. So every part of your course will play its role to bring your desired marks near to you. In the points system, you have to add up all your earned scores and then divide them by the total possible points of your course to know what your course outcome will be. For example, if your homework is worth 100 points but you earned 90, the quizzes 18 out of 20, 85 out of 100 for tests, and 45 out of 50 for the project, then your awarded points will be 238, and the total units will be 270, and when you divide 238 ÷ 270, it will be 88.1%, and that’s what your grade percentage will be.
Weight System (Weighted Categories)
In the weighted system, your teachers will assign different weights to different activities. For example, your homework will be 20%, quizzes 15%, tests 40%, and the final exam 25%, and your averages are something like this: 95, 85, 78, and 88; then, according to their scoring balance and your averages, actually your grade percentages will be something like this:
- Homework 95 × 0.20 = 19
- Quizzes 85 × 0.15 = 12.75
- Tests 78 × 0.40 = 31.2
- Final Exam 88 × 0.25 = 22
But always remember, your exams will be of more weight, so always try to do your best in exams as well.
How to Know Total Points You Can Earn?
If you’re sure that your school is following a points system, then you can know your score units by following this method.
Step 1: Earnable Points and Your Syllabus
The quickest way to do it is by looking at your syllabus and checking earnable points. In case earnable points are not mentioned on your syllabus, you can still find them out by asking your teacher about earnable points for your course.
Step 2: Check Your Earned Points
To find out your current stage till this point, you can look at your earned scores on your coursework, and if your teacher hasn’t mentioned your earned scores yet, you can ask your teacher regarding your earned count. Add up all the points that you earned by completing assignments or activities.
Step 3: Find Out Points You Can Still Earn
After finding out your achieved units, look for the total ones for your course. Know you need to minus your earned points from the total ones of your course, and the points that will be left after subtracting, these are the points that your final exam will be covering, and you still have a chance to get them.
To know your final grade in advance, you need to add your points that you believe you will surely earn or will try your best to earn. In this way you will know what your possible credits will be. You can also know your grade percentage by using a grading calculator without any hassle.
Second Method to Know Your Final Grade
Before trying to figure out your academic result through this method, make sure your academic institute is following a weighted system for grading.
In the weight system, every activity you complete will have points, but not all activities will have the same points. To know your current standing, you need to follow the steps mentioned below:
Step 1: Find Out Scores and Weight
You have to find out your scores for every activity and also the weight of those activities.
Step 2: Know Your Weighted Grade
Multiply your scores with weight by simply multiplying your weighted scores with the activity’s weight percentage. In this way you will know your weighted grades.
Step 3: Finding Final Grades
Now add up all those weighted scores or use a grade calculator to know your grade percentage.
Grading System and Grade Calculator
After calculating the percentage, your school will convert it into letter grades or GPA.
Letter Grades and GPA
Most U.S. schools follow this common scale:
| U.S Scale Grade Calculation |
| A (90-100) = 4.0 GPA |
| B (80-89) = 3.0 |
| C (70-79) = 2.0 |
| D (60-69) = 1.0 |
| F (below 60) = 0.0 |
Remember, our Grade Calculator also follows the U.S. scale for calculations.
Weighted GPA System
Some of the advanced classes, like honors or AP, are usually weighted more:
| A in AP = 5.0 GPA |
| B in AP = 4.0 |
Other Grading Scales
Other than this scale, there are some other scales as well, which are followed in some of the districts. Some examples are as follows:
- the 100-point scale that some schools follow for reporting raw percentages
- 10-point scale: Less common but still followed by some districts
- Custom Grading Scale: In this, if 85 is a B in one school, then it can be a C in another school.
Grading Calculator for Conversion
As we discussed, it can take a lot of your effort to convert percentage, letter, and cumulative average, but don’t worry, our grade calculator can do it for you in no time.
Common Mistakes Students Should Avoid
- Never forget that different categories have different weights.
- Don’t forget that your exams will influence your marks more than anything.
- Not confirming which grading scale your school is following
Teacher’s Take
As someone who has worked with many high school students who were trying to improve their GPA and succeeded in doing so. Many of them shared that they managed to set their goals with the help of the grade calculator. After that, I reassured myself and have seen that actually it provides much clarity to students in their educational journey.
Conclusion
Understanding the math for calculating grade percentage in high school will change the feeling you will be having on result day by giving you more control over your progress. In an educational journey, it’s better to avoid surprises at the end. Whether you estimate it manually or by using a grade calculator, it’s always worth it to know your current standing.
