Do you actually need it?
- GRE General: still required or recommended by many US graduate programs, though a large number became test-optional after 2020. Check each program, every year — policies change.
- GMAT / GMAT Focus: mainly for MBA and some business Masters.
- Most programs in Germany, the Nordics, Australia and the UK do not ask for the GRE at all.
- Where it is optional, a strong score still helps a modest CGPA — and a weak score can hurt, so only submit a good one.
What is a good GRE score?
| Section | Range | Competitive for STEM | Competitive for social sciences |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quantitative | 130–170 | 165–170 | 155+ |
| Verbal | 130–170 | 153+ | 158+ |
| Analytical Writing | 0–6 | 3.5+ | 4.0+ |
GRE scores are valid for 5 years. Engineering and CS admits from Bangladesh typically have very high quant scores, so treat 165+ as the working target.
A 10-week GRE plan
- 1
Weeks 1–2: baseline and vocabulary
Take an official practice test. Start a daily vocabulary habit (Magoosh or Anki decks, 20–30 words a day) and keep it up to test day.
- 2
Weeks 3–5: quant fundamentals
Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, word problems and data interpretation. The maths is school level; the difficulty is in the traps and the clock.
- 3
Weeks 6–7: verbal technique
Text completion and sentence equivalence come from vocabulary; reading comprehension comes from structure — practise summarising each passage in one line.
- 4
Week 8: writing
Write six essays: three Issue, three Argument. Learn one template for each and reuse it.
- 5
Weeks 9–10: full mocks
Two official PowerPrep tests plus review. Review is where the score comes from — log every mistake by type.