Another thought - Darwin you had asked for information and got it. When I went to boot camp, the only information I had was Battle Cry by Leon Uris. A very good book, in fact I have several copies including an Australian edition and a Dutch edition. That didn't help much but it did give me a glimmer of what to expect. You are luckier than I with the ability to get some better information through this web site. I do have one other suggestion, read Making the Corps by Thomas Ricks. It tracks a platoon through PI in 1995. Just remember three things as you read it and gather information from us as well.
1- Boot camp is one of those things that you must experience to really understand. We can give you a wealth of information but you won't really understand until after graduation. It was the same way with each of us. You can talk about it, read about and even watch people going through it but can't understand it until you have the DIs screaming in you face and you spend "hours" with your rifle balanced on your extended finger tips.
2-The book and our information is dated. The lumps, both physical and psychological, don't change but form, shape and length do change. For example my boot camp in '67 was only 8 weeks. From boot camp we went to ITR (Infantry Training Regiment) for grunt training. Duration of ITR depended on your MOS. From ITR you either went to Nam or to a tech school. The DIs were allowed to "thump" us in '67. Technically it was illegal but as long as he didn't break bones or leave lasting damage it was ignored. Some of my most vivid memories are standing in line outside the DI hut waiting my turn for my "thumping". When my son went to boot camp in '97 he was there for 13 weeks. His boot included much of what we did in ITR and the Crucible. Now I hear that the crucible may be eliminated. And from what he tells me, he didn't get the physical "thumping" I did, they used different techniques. So remember that the form may be different when you get there but the pain and pride when you graduate will be the same.
3-It is virtually impossible to complete boot camp by yourself. You will need your platoon mates and they will need you. That is what boot camp is all about, to turn self centered civilians into Marines, part of the Marine Air-Ground Team.
One last "oh-by-the-way". There used to be a sign hanging in one of the arched walkways in San Diego that read
"To be a Marine you have to believe in: Yourself, Your fellow Marine, Your Corps, Your Country, Your God" I don't know if it is still there or not but I believe it is the essence of the Corps.

Good luck in boot camp. We will gladly welcome you into the brother hood when you graduate.

To shooter1: I'll fess up. The day I was sworn into the delayed enlistment program in early '67 there was a large group of draftees heading to army boot camp and I was the only "Marine". When the official called my name and service for the oath, you could hear the draftees saying "don't fool with him, he is a Marine". Sure made my day, in fact I actually thought I was one until I hit the yellow footprints a few months later and the DIs convinced me otherwise.