How many times has a student asked you:

What do I need to get on the final to get an A?

Because I am a nerd, I of course create a spreadsheet to see how low I can score on the final exam and still get an A in the course. Another student in my class liked it so I created a more formalized one as a generic template. Have your students create a copy of this spreadsheet template so they can answer that question for themselves.

A Spreadsheet Template

This does not solve the issue in the slightest, but here is a template to help students to calculate what they need to get on the final to earn the grade in the class they desire.  You will want to make a copy of this spreadsheet: http://goo.gl/Vtw5Vh.

Tabs

If you look at the bottom of the spreadsheet there are 3 tabs. The middle tab has the directions. The first tab is for calculating a what if grade based on total points. The third tab is for calculating a grade based on a weighted grading system.