How does dropping my lowest test score change my average?

How we calculated this

Your eligible scores are sorted from lowest to highest, the stated number of lowest scores are removed, and the rest are averaged. Using the example values above (70%, 80%, 90%, dropping one), the lowest score (70%) is removed and the remaining two average to 85%.

The size of the improvement depends on how far the dropped score sits below the rest, not on how low it is in absolute terms. Dropping the 70% here raises the average from 80% (all three scores) to 85% (the remaining two) because 70% was 15 points below the other two's own 85% average; dropping a 70% out of a set of 71%, 72%, 73% would barely move anything, since that score is close to the others instead of far below them.

Limitations

This assumes every eligible test carries equal weight; if your tests are weighted differently, a simple drop-and-average does not apply cleanly, and this result would be misleading. It also does not decide which tests are eligible to be dropped; that is your course's own rule.

Common mistakes

A frequent error is entering scores that are not actually equal weight, such as mixing a short quiz with a full midterm, since a simple drop-and-average only makes sense when every eligible item counts the same. Another is dropping a score the syllabus explicitly excludes from the drop policy, such as a cumulative final.

Frequently asked

What if two scores are tied for lowest?

Either can be treated as the dropped one without changing the result, since they are equal.

Can this apply within a weighted category instead of the whole course?

Yes; use it for a single category's scores, then feed the resulting average into Current Weighted Course Grade.

What if my tests are not equal weight?

This calculator assumes equal weight among eligible tests; if weights differ, a drop-and-average does not model your course correctly, and you should confirm with your instructor how a drop actually applies.

Does dropping more than one score ever hurt me?

No, for equal-weight scores; removing additional low scores can only raise or hold the average, never lower it, since you are always removing from the bottom.

Next decision

To apply the same logic at a category level with its own weight, see Drop Lowest Grade.