To share some personal experience:

This bit only applies if LR is an issue, but I highly recommend The Loophole by Ellen Cassidy. I'm not finished with it yet, but it has dramatically helped me get better at certain question types that historically have taken me the longest and focuses on skill-building and not just drilling through PTs. To be transparent, LR timing isn't typically a major issue for me, but her process has sped me up anyway (without sacrificing quality).

With LG, for me it was just practice and going through the complete curriculum. It's a tedious process, but the 7sage advice to redo every game you have any trouble with is has dramatically helped me get through LG (was only getting through 2/3, now can usually finish).

@ Thank you for your response, and that's good advice. I'll probably do that and be careful with the phrasing.

Thank you both!

@ : you're right, the decision of whether or not I actually want it is a big question. The 'employment' opportunity is a fairly selective fellowship that would really help my resume (and finances) that I will not be able to reapply to, so that's the logic of going for that and putting off law school. But your advice is definitely true, especially about counting chickens!

@ : the thing is, I've read (on this site, I believe) that it looks bad (or schools will see it negatively) if they accept you, you turn them down, and then reapply later. One fear is that I get accepted somewhere I'd be interested in but get no/very little money, or I get this amazing (but temporary) employment opportunity and turn down places I'd actually like to attend later. Does that make sense? My thinking is, this way, I'd be in a better position to apply (and get scholarships) either this fall if I don't get the appointment opportunity and in a year if I do.

@ Thank you for your insight. I actually saw your comment after the deadline for withdrawal, and did end up taking August - though to be honest I don't think I would have withdrawn regardless. I think that you were right and I was getting burnt out - I took a few days without much drilling or PTs before the test, and felt fairly good going in (much more relaxed than with the drills). I just don't think that I would get much funding with my GPA (3.7low) and a 171 (with no particularly interesting softs). I entirely understand that a lower score would look terrible, but I knew I couldn't live with myself if I didn't try.

@ - Thank you for the comment! Did end up taking - like I said above, couldn't have lived with myself otherwise. I didn't realize that the October deadline was so close, however, so thank you for that - I wish they had done like they did with August, making it after the June score return date. I'm seriously considering taking your advice and signing up now, just in case. LSAC has already taken so much of my money, why stop now?

My 7sage subscription expires in early September, and I probably won't renew for that month in case I do get a satisfactory score. So if I don't comment again after that, it turned out alright! I wish the absolute best of luck to both you on your journey.

@ Yeah, that's my concern - if it is like 89, I wouldn't be surprised at another 171 or lower. And lower would be far from ideal, obviously.

@ Sorry, I should specify I'm not always acing LR or RC - my average for both is around -2. Part of my concern is that my highest scores have been for older tests. I realize this may seem like a stupid thing to be freaking out about, but my results this week have been low across the board and I've felt like my heart is beating out of my chest all week lol.

I'm in almost the same position - slightly lower GPA (3.73, below most 50% percentiles where I'm looking) with a 171 June LSAT. Debating retaking in August (which would be my third time).