“Midterm” means two different things
The word “midterm” describes two different structures, and your school decides which one applies. In the first, the midterm is an exam inside a term — one weighted category among others. In the second, the midterm is a separate component — its own weight beside the quarter grades. Florence One Schools uses both: in its AP semester courses the midterm counts 10% of the Q1 grade; in its year-long AP/IB courses the midterm (E1) is 10% of the Semester 1 grade. A calculator that does not ask which structure your school uses will compute the wrong number for roughly half its visitors.
Mode 1 — Midterm exam inside a term
The midterm is one row in the term’s weight table, exactly like homework or quizzes. The formula is the standard weighted combination:
Worked example (Florence One Schools AP Q1 weights). Project/Test 88 × 40 + Quizzes/Labs 84 × 30 + Classwork/Homework 90 × 20 + Midterm exam 76 × 10 = 35.20 + 25.20 + 18.00 + 7.60 = 86.00%. The midterm contributes 7.60 points of the 86.00.
Two more verified structures of this kind: University of Maryland’s ASTR 120 syllabus sets the midterm exam at 25% of the course grade (Homework 30%, Discussion 10%, Night lab 5%, Midterm 25%, Final 30%) — with scores 88, 92, 100, 78, 84 the course grade is 85.30%. UCLA’s CS 33 page sets two midterms at 12.5% each (Labs 40%, Homeworks 5%, Midterms 25%, Final 30%) — with scores 90, 100, 82, 88, 85 the course grade is 87.75%.
Mode 2 — Midterm as a separate component
The midterm gets its own weight alongside the quarter grades. Same formula, different rows:
Worked example (CIE annual-course weights). Q1 88 × 20 + Q2 82 × 20 + Midterm 76 × 10 + Q3 90 × 20 + Q4 84 × 20 + Final 80 × 10 = 17.60 + 16.40 + 7.60 + 18.00 + 16.80 + 8.00 = 84.40%. The same 20/20/10/20/20/10 structure appears in Guilford High School’s Chemistry syllabus and in Brunswick City Schools’ full-year formula.
Worked example (Florence One Schools, year-long AP/IB, Semester 1). Q1 88 × 45 + Q2 82 × 45 + Midterm (E1) 76 × 10 = 39.60 + 36.90 + 7.60 = 84.10% for S1. Somerset County Public Schools uses the same 45/45/10 split for Semester 1, with the final exam at 10% in Semester 2.
Named splits, each cited — none is universal
- 20 / 20 / 10 / 20 / 20 / 10 — Q1 + Q2 + midterm + Q3 + Q4 + final = final grade (CIE annual courses; Guilford; Brunswick full-year).
- 45 / 45 / 10 — Q1 + Q2 + midterm = Semester 1 (Florence One Schools year-long AP/IB; Somerset County Public Schools).
- Midterm as one course category — 25% (University of Maryland ASTR 120); 25% across two midterms (UCLA CS 33); 10% of the Q1 grade (Florence One Schools AP semester courses).
No source supports a universal midterm weight. Every split above is a named district’s or school’s setup. Enter your school’s split — do not assume one of these is yours.
Weights need not total 100
This calculator divides by the total weight you entered. Percent weights, decimals, and ratio weights all work — Fort Worth ISD, for example, weights its periods in sevenths (2/7 and 1/7). A weight of 0 excludes a component.
In-progress grades (calculator convention, labelled)
If some components are not graded yet, this calculator divides by the weights you entered — the standing “on completed work so far.” No district source states this normalisation. It is not a predicted final grade and not a school rule.
What the recorded grade may still change
A computed average matches the weights you entered. The recorded grade can still differ: grade floors (some schools set a minimum), teacher override, exam exemptions, retake or reassessment caps, end-of-course exam mandates, IEP modifications, and advanced-course bonus points (Memphis-Shelby adds +5 for AP/Cambridge/IB/CLEP, +4 for dual credit, +3 for honors). Check your school’s policy before treating a result as official.
Common mistakes
- Assuming one midterm structure. Ask whether your midterm is inside the term or a separate component — the answer changes the math.
- Assuming a universal weight. “Midterms count 10%” is one district’s setup, not a rule.
- Averaging quarters without weights. A plain average is correct only when weights are equal.
- Treating a partial standing as the final grade. The in-progress number covers completed work only.
- Assuming one letter scale. Letter cutoffs vary by school — there is no single scale.
- Treating the computed grade as the recorded grade. Floors, overrides, and exemptions can change it.
Full walkthrough: How to Calculate Your Midterm Grade. Quarters: Quarter Grade Calculator. Finals: Final Grade Calculator.