What if my class doesn't have a final exam?

Pick the 50 / 50 preset (or set the final weight to 0). The semester grade becomes a straight average of your two quarter grades.

I'm on a trimester system, not semesters. Does this work?

Yes — just treat each trimester as a 'quarter' and use whatever weights your school assigns. If you have 3 trimesters and no final, set the third row to your T3 grade and zero out the 'final' if it doesn't apply.

My school is on a block schedule. Does that change anything?

Block schedules typically still produce a semester grade. The weighting may be different (e.g., 90% coursework + 10% final, or no final at all), so check your syllabus and use the custom preset.

My quarter grades are letters, not percentages. How do I convert?

Use the standard U.S. scale: A+ = 97+, A = 93–96, A- = 90–92, B+ = 87–89, B = 83–86, B- = 80–82, C+ = 77–79, C = 73–76, C- = 70–72, D+ = 67–69, D = 63–66, D- = 60–62, F = below 60. Convert each letter to the midpoint of its range if you only have letters.

Will my school round my semester grade?

Most schools round to the nearest whole percent at the cutoff (e.g., 89.5 rounds to 90 → A-). Some round only at the half-point mark. If your semester grade lands on a boundary, ask your teacher about rounding policy — it can be the difference between letter grades.

Semester Grade Calculator

Roll your quarter or term grades plus the final exam into one semester grade. Most U.S. schools weight each quarter 40% with a 20% final — but if your school does it differently, just adjust the weights.

Weighting:

Quarter 1 (or Term 1)
Grade
%
Weight
%
Quarter 2 (or Term 2)
Grade
%
Weight
%
Final exam
Grade
%
Weight
%

Your result

Your semester grade

85.60%

Letter grade: B

Total weight entered: 100%

How is a semester grade calculated?

Most U.S. middle and high schools split a semester into two quarters plus a cumulative final exam. The semester grade is a weighted average of the three pieces. The most common split is 40% Quarter 1, 40% Quarter 2, 20% Final Exam — but schools vary, and some skip the final entirely (a 50/50 split).

The formula

Semester grade = (Q1 × W1 + Q2 × W2 + Final × Wf) ÷ 100

Worked example

If your school uses 40/40/20 and you earned 85% Q1, 88% Q2, and 82% on the final, your semester grade is (85×40 + 88×40 + 82×20) ÷ 100 = (3400 + 3520 + 1640) ÷ 100 = 85.6%. That's a B.

When to use this calculator

Use this when your school posts quarter grades separately and the final exam is its own component. If your gradebook is broken down by category (homework, quizzes, exams, projects) within a single semester, use the Weighted Grade Calculator instead. If you only want to know what you need on the final to hit a target, use the Final Grade Calculator.

Semester grade — common questions

What if my class doesn't have a final exam?: Pick the 50 / 50 preset (or set the final weight to 0). The semester grade becomes a straight average of your two quarter grades.
I'm on a trimester system, not semesters. Does this work?: Yes — just treat each trimester as a 'quarter' and use whatever weights your school assigns. If you have 3 trimesters and no final, set the third row to your T3 grade and zero out the 'final' if it doesn't apply.
My school is on a block schedule. Does that change anything?: Block schedules typically still produce a semester grade. The weighting may be different (e.g., 90% coursework + 10% final, or no final at all), so check your syllabus and use the custom preset.
My quarter grades are letters, not percentages. How do I convert?: Use the standard U.S. scale: A+ = 97+, A = 93–96, A- = 90–92, B+ = 87–89, B = 83–86, B- = 80–82, C+ = 77–79, C = 73–76, C- = 70–72, D+ = 67–69, D = 63–66, D- = 60–62, F = below 60. Convert each letter to the midpoint of its range if you only have letters.
Will my school round my semester grade?: Most schools round to the nearest whole percent at the cutoff (e.g., 89.5 rounds to 90 → A-). Some round only at the half-point mark. If your semester grade lands on a boundary, ask your teacher about rounding policy — it can be the difference between letter grades.