Hard luck.

It is disappointing not to reach ur target score, but the GMAT Prep2 score is not far from your actual score. Such ranges are expected in GMAT. (I dropped from a 770 in GMATPrep 2 to a 700). Maybe this question is silly, but did your final practice tests include AWA?

GMAT works hard to make sure the test is fair. Unless, the GMAT authorities come out saying the test is becoming tougher, anything else you hear is just rumor. There is no such thing. I recently saw a GMAT instructor post here in which he has clearly spoken about how the test has remained static for the past 5 years as he took the test recently and has not seen any change in the way the test works.

Maybe you took it easy as you were scoring high in the practice tests. Powerprep is not reliable because few questions are from OG. You can also analyze why you got 650 in Kaplan. I don't think tests are getting tougher as GMAT is a standardized test that means your score is comparable to anyone who has taken test in the last 5 years.

Yes I did do the AWA part each time.
I feel that time taken per question in Quant was much more than anticipated. I never had a problem completing the quant section in the practice tests. In fact, I always completed with about ten minutes to spare.
I realised that the actual GMAT Quant is much more time consuming and just a little tougher than expected.
Before the test, I would always hear that actual GMAT is the same level, if not easier.
Ofcourse no point in criticising the test itself but then it could be possible that the overall test is changing-becoming harder or more taxing in terms of time.
Its not so much about getting a lower than expected score as it is about realising the test was different than expected.

kitu16 wrote:I just took the GMAT today and got a 680(Q-44 68 percentile, V-38 83 percentile). Very disappointed.
Got following scores during prep-tests:
GMATPrep1-730
GMATPrep2-710
Powerprep1-740
Powerprep2-760
Kaplan(1 test)-650

Was looking at atleast 720.
Found the questions more time consuming than those in the prep-tests.
Difficulty level of quant was a bit higher and verbal was very time consuming.
Quant, being my strong point was especially disappointing.
I didn't imagine that I will have to make some wild guesses towards the end just to complete the test.

I heard from somewhere that the GMAT tests are getting a bit tougher than expected. Is it true?
Will that have any implication on the applications and selections?

Don't be! Sometimes it gets in your way with all the score predictions.
I never scored more than 700 except once in a Prep redo.
Be positive and do the best you can next time.

You could not handle the 700 level questions of real GMAT. You did pretty well in GMAT Prep's 700 level questions.