GMAT - 690 (Q49, V35) - First Attempt

Hi GMATClubbers!

I'm a little late in sharing my GMAT experience, as I took the exam on 31st August, but it's never too late to share with the community from where I learned so much.

My Score:
690
Q:49 and V:35
Mock Test Scores: 560, 680, 600, 620 and 680
Preparation Time: 3 Months

I had planned to take the GMAT a year ago, but never really took the initiative to start the prep or register for the exam. I only started preparing seriously when I spent $250 on registration. I must tell you guys that these were one of the most difficult days of my life. But they ended up being a mix of good and bad. The bad came first, though.

It was a series of serious health problems in the family, with the most disturbing being my Mom having an operation, and during that time my preparation was completely halted. Couple this with a 12 hr work day, and without losing the intensity at work, it was complete hell. I could barely study on weekdays; the only peaceful time was during my bus commute to the office, thanks to the slow moving traffic. But somehow in the last month of prep, I just put my heart to it, and thankfully made it to a good score. This was the good that came out of the bad, and also, I got promoted.

My Prep Resources:
MGMAT Strategy Guides - They're a must for clearing up your concepts. The best thing about them, is that they focus on the exam and the question types, rather than the syllabus, which is what an exam taker should be focused on too.
Official Guide, 13 - For practice questions
Free Mock Tests - MGMAT, Princeton Review, GoGMAT and GMATPrep

AND GMATClub - I learned so much from this awesome community. Strategies, past experiences, tips and tricks - everything! I seriously recommend living off this site while preparing for GMAT.

I'm from New Delhi, India, from that great applicant pool notoriously known as the "Indian IT Male". I've asked for free evaluations of my profile, and this is what I always get - "it's going to be really tough, buddy", and there's just one thing I always say - "I've never got anything easy in my life, and I don't expect this one to be any similar." Besides, I have a good profile; great Academic record, good work ex, fast promotion, lots of hobbies, acceptable community service experience and a solid reason for doing an MBA.

Researching Schools:
I think this score is good. I have a realistic target. I don't want to go to Harvard or any other Ivy League school. I am looking for places that fit me, my career goals and my financing ability. Somewhere between top 20-50 Schools would be great for me. I've started narrowing down the list, asking for recommendations, and writing my essays. I hope for the best, but even if I don't get there, I won't be heart broken. I'm tougher than that.

And for those who understand - "Ek bar jo maine commitment kar di, to main apne aap ki bhi nahi sunta!"