Yup, boys and girls, the site is up and running.
My advisor’s advice was to get everything filled in right away. Then the day get my MCAT scores, I can fill in the last bit: leave unchecked or check that box that indicates whether or not an August MCAT is in my future (oh, please, let it not be the case!).
So I think I’ll at least get in the system, and then add bits and pieces to it while I’m procrastinating studying for exams. 
Good luck, all! I look foward to going through the cycle with fellow OPMers.
cheers,
Vera
People on SDN are going crazy and I posted this on a thread there to answer someone’s question and thought I would post it here as well.
mdsadler wrote:
I started filling out the application yesterday and got to the spot where it asks if you will be taking the August MCAT. I clicked NO because I am hopeful that April went well but if I do write again in August are you able to change this once you submit your application or is it better to wait until scores are out?
YOU CAN'T CHANGE THINGS ONCE YOU HAVE SUBMITTED YOUR APPLICATION TO AMCAS!!!
If you are sure you did well on the April test, then click no. However if you didn't do well and the schools get your scores and see you aren't taking the August test, they may reject you. I would wait until the scores come in and then you can be certain.
Look people, when we say apply early, we don't mean the very first minute. We mean don't wait until July or August. I would STRONGLY urge you all to wait for your MCAT scores AND all grades from this spring semester before hitting that submit button. THAT WILL BE EARLY ENOUGH!!!!!!!!
All you need to do now is send in any and all transcripts that are completed. And fill out all info on the application. Then if you have your grades and have the MCAT scores you like, hit submit and your done.
OR
If you don't have all grades in yet, WAIT to send that transcript to AMCAS, but send any others that you may have. And fill out the info on the application but wait until grades and MCAT scores come in Don't submit until that time.
Patience is something that you are really going to need during this whole process. It will drive you crazy, but it should all work out in the end. Please don't jump the gun now and then have to jump through hoops later to correct things that could have been avoided.
Your advice is very good, Amy. I should have clarified in that my advisor meant to get working on it right away–not to complete it right away. I’ve been doing bits and pieces here and there as study (procrastination?) breaks. I won’t be sending it until I get my MCAT scores, but I feel like it’s less onerous doing little bits than filling out my life’s history in one day.
Maybe traditional students can manage to fill it in in once day, but I’ve got five colleges between UG, grad, study abroad, and post-bac! Including 5 years of grad school on the quarter system that need to be translated to AMCAS dates. 
NOT my idea of fun. Especially when I can play with amino acid synthesis, which is pretty darn cool!
I’d also recommend that applicants print out a hard copy before they hit “send” and give it a very stringent red-lining and cross-check. The more careful you are with it, the more you reduce the likelihood of errors, which will speed up the process, and minimize your stress level.
cheers,
Vera
cheers,
Vera
Ooops, I wasn’t talking about your advisor. Sorry. I saw you started the thread and thought it would be the perfect place to post some info for all applying this year. Hope you didn’t think I was coming down on you
Thanks for the info in this thread. I have started my application, but I actually wasn’t sure if it was even possible yet to submit it. In any case, I don’t plan to submit it til my MCAT scores come back. Yesterday I put all my transcript requests in the mail, and my references should be together by mid june. Since the references won’t be needed til the secondary stage, I’m hoping that’s ok. I’ll submit the online application as soon as I get my MCAT scores, in late May or early June, I’m hoping.
By the way, does anyone know about how fast AMCAS is at responding to email questions? I have some transcript issues relating to study abroad that I did, and I’m waiting to hear back from them about that. I hope it doesn’t take them forever.
Well, good luck to everyone going through this! Isn’t it fun?
It is hard to predict how fast or slow they can respond…the best approach that I found was to call and ask.