35%. That's the score staring back at you from your midterm. You didn't pass the test. Does that mean you've failed the class, too?
Not necessarily. A midterm is usually only one piece of the final grade. What matters is how heavily it counts, what you've earned elsewhere, and whether your course has a separate must-pass rule.
Your 35% isn't your overall grade
Imagine a class where 50% is the overall pass mark. Its assessments look like this:
- Midterm: 35% score, worth 30% of the class → 10.5 course points.
- Assignments: 80% score, worth 20% → 16 points.
- Quizzes: 70% score, worth 10% → 7 points.
- Final exam: Not taken yet, worth the remaining 40%.
You've already earned 33.5 points toward the 100-point course total. You still need 16.5 to reach 50. Because the final is worth 40%, you need 41.25% on that exam to reach an overall 50%.
That's the key distinction: a failed midterm doesn't automatically mean a failed course. And work you haven't submitted or taken yet isn't a zero unless your grading rules say it is.
Could a 42% final really be enough?
In this example, yes—if the course uses only the weighted total to determine a pass.
A 42% final contributes 16.8 course points. Add that to your existing 33.5 and you finish at 50.3% overall. Want a 60% course grade instead? You'd need 66.25% on the final.
But check the course outline before trusting the green result. Some classes require you to pass the final exam, the midterm, a practical component or another assessment separately, even when your weighted average reaches the overall pass mark. With a 50% minimum on the final, that 42% exam result wouldn't satisfy the rule. If the midterm itself is a must-pass assessment, a better final may not fix it without an allowed reassessment.
What should you do with the failed test?
Don't just put it away. Look at a few questions you missed and work out why the marks disappeared.
- Didn't understand the topic? Rebuild it from the basics, then answer fresh questions without looking at your notes.
- Ran out of time? Practise with a timer and the same restrictions you'll face in the exam.
- Misread the question? Before answering, underline what it's asking you to explain, compare or calculate.
If you still can't explain the correct answer, take that specific question to your teacher, lecturer or tutor. It's a much more useful conversation than asking whether there's any way to get extra marks.
Three things to check before you make a plan
First, find the actual pass mark. It's not 50% everywhere. Second, check the assessment weights and must-pass requirements in your syllabus or course outline. Third, check deadlines and policies for reassessment, missed work or withdrawing—don't assume options exist or wait until they're closed.
Then enter your real scores into the CozyCalcs Grade Calculator to find the grade needed on your final. It handles the weighted maths; your course rules decide what counts as a pass.
One bad exam tells you what happened that day. Your remaining marks tell you what can still happen next.
All grades and weights above are hypothetical. The worked example assumes an overall pass mark of 50%, straight weighted grading, no scaling, rounding, bonus marks or must-pass rules unless explicitly switched on. Schools and courses set their own assessment requirements.
Sources
- University of Melbourne Law School — Assessment — example of weighted assessment totals and separate hurdle requirements, including when a midterm is a hurdle.
- Cornell Learning Strategies Center — What to Do When You Get Your Graded Test Back — reviewing mistakes, clarifying answers and asking instructors for feedback.
- Cornell Learning Strategies Center — What to Do With Practice Exams — studying through timed practice tests and active recall.