thanks for sharing your background. so it is clear now that obsessing over the GMAT is absolutely pointless.
to your point about how the adcoms saw you, i think it's more about how you presented yourself. in my case, i have a Master's degree in Engineering from Columbia University (NY) and i have an R&D background. i am trying to get into the coveted consulting field. given my background, i could portray myself as an IT guy and that i am trying to learn IT biz skills. OR i could portray myself as someone with technology consulting professional who is trying to get into strategy consulting using an MBA. if you keep harping marketing, communications, etc. then the school might try to put you into spot they feel appropriate. it's about what areas of your experience you bring out more and connect it with your desired goal. does this make sense?
that's a fantastic idea if you get into a 1-yr MBA program at kellogg -- killing 2 birds with 1 stone!!! good luck.
Ashish
Share not just why the right answer is right, but also why the wrong ones are not.