A month ago, I really didn't appreciate the AMCAS. I thought it was just a hurdle, where everything had to be entered in a precise manner. Everything DOES need to be accurate, however, I've come to realize how useful it is. This service is the first step in the medical school application process and it is such an important step that I'm spending two weeks (plus the essay) on it.The AMCAS asks for everything: college grades, extracurriculars, work, background, parents, personal statement, and the designated medical programs. The AMCAS services most of the American medical schools; the notable exception is the Texas public schools. Once you've entered in all the pertinent information and paid the processing fee, they will match transcripts with the entered information, correct minor errors, and re-package everything into a generic, neat, and beautifully typed application. In an analogy, it is very much like the Common Application that is currently used for many undergraduate institutions.It's a pain in the neck to fill it out; all of my spare time for the past four weeks have been sucked into making it accurate and concise, with no spelling or grammatical errors. However, I do appreciate this service because I won't have to hand-write or type all my application forms, or send official transcripts to every school. Now, if they'll only get rid of those secondaries that involve a lot more essays....