Dropped Assignments, Curves, and Extra Credit
Learn how common grading adjustments affect your current grade and what to enter into a calculator.
Adjust the Input Before You Trust the Output
Dropped assignments, curves, and extra credit can all change a grade calculation. The calculator is doing arithmetic, but the syllabus decides which scores belong in that arithmetic. When a grading rule changes the score, update the category average first.
Dropped Assignments
If the lowest quiz is dropped, remove that quiz from the category average before entering the score. Do not enter the old average and expect the calculator to know which assignment was dropped.
Curves
A curve can be added to an exam, a category, or the final course grade. These are different. A 5-point exam curve changes the exam category. A final course curve changes the result after all categories are calculated. If the instructor has not published the curve, model both the current uncurved grade and a possible curved scenario.
Extra Credit
Extra credit may add to a specific category, add to total points, or add to the final course grade. If extra credit is part of a category, include it in that category percentage. If it is added after the final grade, calculate the regular grade first and add the extra credit separately.
Example: drop the lowest quiz
Quiz scores: 60, 82, 90, 94. The average with all quizzes is 81.5. If the 60 is dropped, the adjusted average is 88.7. Enter 88.7 for the quiz category, not 81.5.
Best Practice
Keep one calculator scenario for the current official gradebook and another for possible adjustments. The Grade Calculatorcan show how much those adjustments matter, but your instructor's gradebook is the source of truth.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do dropped assignments change my grade?
Removing your lowest score raises the category average, sometimes by a lot. With quiz scores of 60, 82, 90, and 94, the average of all four is 81.5, but dropping the 60 raises it to about 88.7. Recalculate the category average without the dropped score before entering it into a calculator.
How does a curve affect my final grade?
It depends on where the curve is applied. A curve on one exam changes that exam category, while a curve on the final course grade is added after all categories are combined, and those produce different results. If the instructor has not announced a curve, model both the uncurved grade and a possible curved scenario.
How do I enter extra credit into a grade calculator?
Match where the extra credit applies. If it belongs to a specific category, fold it into that category's percentage. If it adds to total points, include it in your points earned. If it is added to the final course grade, calculate the regular grade first and add the extra credit at the end.
Why is my calculated grade different from my instructor's gradebook?
A calculator only does the arithmetic on the scores you enter, so unapplied rules like drops, curves, late penalties, or extra credit cause mismatches. Adjust your category averages for those rules first, and treat the instructor's gradebook as the source of truth when the numbers disagree.