I am displeased to inform you..

Chris,

Regardless of the fact that your score went down a little, most b-schools will accept your highest score (the 640) which isn`t too shabby. I also recently took the test after over 8 months of faithful daily practice and, like yourself, challenged nearly every practice test on the market, only to receive a 570. Check out my thread a few lines down from your`s titled "mortified by a low score...."

As frustrating as it may seem, I have come to the conclusion that taking multiple practice tests and doing thousands of problems may not be the solution to a big score increase. A veteran GMAT friend who scored a 740 reccommended going back over texts and reviewing previous tests focusing solely on the difficult or missed problems. This may seem like a gruelling, painstaking process, but read the explanations thoroughly until you are absolutely convinced why the correct answer is correct and the incorrect answers are wrong. Keep a notebook or journal and categorize the problem types that are difficult for you- then practice them until they become second nature.

Application deadlines for fall 06 are approaching fast, but I wouldn`t suggest you compromise your chances of admission to a top school with a slighly low score unless you can make up for it with something else (stellar work experience, solid GPA, community service, etc...). Hang in there, take a few days off, revamp, and get right back on top it. Two weeks away will make your mind stale.

Ultimately, if you convince yourself that you will do whatever it takes to score a 700, coupled with focused review and the desire to transcend to the next level, you can and will succeed. I`m behind you all the way!