Hi viaduct,
Since you're early-on in your studies, it's likely that you are still becoming familiar with the overall content and 'style' of the GMAT - so the fact that your 2 CAT Scores are so similar to one another isn't too surprising. That having been said, raising a 440 to the point that you can consistently score 650+ will likely require at least another 3 months of consistent, guided study - and you'll have to make significant improvements to how you handle BOTH the Quant and Verbal sections. Thankfully, the GMAT is a consistent, predictable Exam, so you CAN train to score at a higher level. However, a mid-December Test Date gives you just 2 months of additional study. While you don't have to change your overall plans just yet, it's likely that you will need a longer study timeframe than you have currently planned for.
1) What are the exact application deadlines for each of the Schools that you plan to apply to? What are the next set of deadlines after the upcoming ones?
GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich