Gave GMAT yesterday for 3rd time, gone from 660->700->

[ranjit_ece]

I have been mostly silent on this group, but an active reader to the posts by some of the best contributors. Reading the posts motivated me a lot to go beyond 700, but unfortunately it quiet did not happen for me this time.

I took the GMAT yesterday, and could make it to 690( 48Q, 36 V) which is less that what I got an year and a half back 700 ( 50Q, 36V). I particularly targeted the verbal part this time around, and spent a lot of time on improving my CR and RC capabilities. And though I got comfortable enough with 80% accuracy on the GMAT prep RCs and MGMAT RCs, to my surprise it was probably very deceptive since I still stand at the same level as I was an year back. I am not sure if a bug that hit me few days before the exam can be held responsible for my less than optimal performance in the exam, but I did not feel much of my fever or weakness during the exam.

I could hit a MGMAT CAT score of 780 in practice test atleast 2 out of the 6 times and stayed above 700 in all of them - though I took some extra time in some of them. On my last GMAT Prep CAT 2 I scored 730 and on the repeat take of GMAT prep CAT2 - 770. Hence, I was very surprised when I could not even make it to 700 mark on the actual test this time.

I am open to the feedback and suggestions from experts and community members on whether you think I should be retrying, and whether there is something very obvious that I have missed in last few months of my preparation.

Thanks.

[rishi raj]

Going by your practice test scores, you should have scored more but take the GMAT the 4th time only if you think that you'll be able to improve substantially ;otherwise the schools are going to hold it against you that instead of focusing on other aspects of your profile, you wasted a lot of time preparing for the GMAT without making any substantial gains. Which schools do you plan to apply to ?

[ranjit_ece]

Thanks @rishiraj
I am planning to apply to WU-Olin, ND, UT-Austin and Kelley.

The reason I did my GMAT again was that in 2008 I was told by some of the adcoms that if I could improve my GMAT then it will increase my chances for admit . Also GMAT score was one of the important factors quoted by them to be unable to give me an admit even though my profile looked suitable to them.

I was thinking to join Knewton to improve my score - any comments or suggestions regarding that ?