I am making this post hoping it will help someone trying to do this one day, not because there isn't enough information online about it (because there is a lot) but because when you are panicking on the day before the interview or ceremony it is helpful to find as much information as possible.
First, there are a few things I didn't need to do in the end which I will mention. I am not saying you don't need to do them or you shouldn't do them. I would recommend you follow the "better safe than sorry" philosophy. I should also mention my case was very simple, pretty straight forward work greencard to citizenship, it will probably be a bit more complex in other scenarios.
Application:
Questions 15 -21. I have never been jailed or been arrested for a crime. I have however gotten speeding tickets and I had one diversion on one of those speeding tickets. Question 16 (have you been arrested, cited, etc) I answered yes because of the tickets. Question 19 (have you been placed on alternative sentencing, etc) I answered yes because of my speeding ticket diversion. The rest I answered no.
After question 21 you have to enter dates and offenses, etc. I entered my speeding tickets as well as I could remember, and since they were mostly 10+ years ago I put "Driving citations 10+ years ago".
Questions 34-39. I did not want to say "so help me God" at the end of the oath. So I marked question 36 (are you willing to take the full oath) as no. The rest as yes. I did not modify the oath on the application myself.
I also submitted a letter (which I got from some forum, maybe this one) with my application explaining question 36. The letter went as follows:
Interview
To the interview I took:
Police record, because I got a letter saying I should have that because of 15-21, although in another document I got it said that I didn't need it unless the fine was more than $500. I took it anyways. The interviewer didn't ask for it.
Selective Service Letter. I was older than 26 when I became a resident so I got a letter from the Selective Service office. This letter was a pain to get, I had to mail them every code of every document I had, passport pages, visas, etc. I don't think I needed the letter because of my age but some document I got I think on the mail made me think I did need it. The interviewer didn't ask for it.
I took my taxes, all passports, most of the documents I sent to the selective service, and anything I could get my hands on that might be useful. Also the letter I had for question 36. The interviewer didn't ask for any of it.
I of course also took my greencard, the letter of the interview appointment, ids, etc. They did look at my greencard and at the letter (they don't really let you in without it).
As far as question 36, I was pretty worried about it but it became an non issue. The interviewer mentioned reading my letter, he mentioned having never done one of those before, only the bear arms exception. He went ahead and put a line through the text I didn't want to say. He also made a note about my letter and the exclusion. Then I was approved and that was basically it.
Ceremony
The day before the ceremony I filled out the questions you have to answer between the interview and ceremony and when I went to sign I made a huge mistake, I put name where city went, signed on the wrong place, I'm not really sure why I wasn't paying attention. Anyways, I panicked, searched online and didn't find much about people making the same mistakes as me, most people had just lost the letter. Anyways, I decided I would just take it and explain I made the mistake. When I got to the line it was the same guy as my interview, I knew he was going to be very by the book, and he was, he even pulled a lady out of the ceremony because it was clear she didn't understand enough English to answer the questions. I explained I made the mistake and he looked at it and said no problem, asked me the questions again and let me go through.
While taking the oath, I of course only took the oath I agreed to take, and I went ahead and took the same liberty with the Pledge of Allegiance.
I hope this helps someone. Good luck.
First, there are a few things I didn't need to do in the end which I will mention. I am not saying you don't need to do them or you shouldn't do them. I would recommend you follow the "better safe than sorry" philosophy. I should also mention my case was very simple, pretty straight forward work greencard to citizenship, it will probably be a bit more complex in other scenarios.
Application:
Questions 15 -21. I have never been jailed or been arrested for a crime. I have however gotten speeding tickets and I had one diversion on one of those speeding tickets. Question 16 (have you been arrested, cited, etc) I answered yes because of the tickets. Question 19 (have you been placed on alternative sentencing, etc) I answered yes because of my speeding ticket diversion. The rest I answered no.
After question 21 you have to enter dates and offenses, etc. I entered my speeding tickets as well as I could remember, and since they were mostly 10+ years ago I put "Driving citations 10+ years ago".
Questions 34-39. I did not want to say "so help me God" at the end of the oath. So I marked question 36 (are you willing to take the full oath) as no. The rest as yes. I did not modify the oath on the application myself.
I also submitted a letter (which I got from some forum, maybe this one) with my application explaining question 36. The letter went as follows:
Interview
To the interview I took:
Police record, because I got a letter saying I should have that because of 15-21, although in another document I got it said that I didn't need it unless the fine was more than $500. I took it anyways. The interviewer didn't ask for it.
Selective Service Letter. I was older than 26 when I became a resident so I got a letter from the Selective Service office. This letter was a pain to get, I had to mail them every code of every document I had, passport pages, visas, etc. I don't think I needed the letter because of my age but some document I got I think on the mail made me think I did need it. The interviewer didn't ask for it.
I took my taxes, all passports, most of the documents I sent to the selective service, and anything I could get my hands on that might be useful. Also the letter I had for question 36. The interviewer didn't ask for any of it.
I of course also took my greencard, the letter of the interview appointment, ids, etc. They did look at my greencard and at the letter (they don't really let you in without it).
As far as question 36, I was pretty worried about it but it became an non issue. The interviewer mentioned reading my letter, he mentioned having never done one of those before, only the bear arms exception. He went ahead and put a line through the text I didn't want to say. He also made a note about my letter and the exclusion. Then I was approved and that was basically it.
Ceremony
The day before the ceremony I filled out the questions you have to answer between the interview and ceremony and when I went to sign I made a huge mistake, I put name where city went, signed on the wrong place, I'm not really sure why I wasn't paying attention. Anyways, I panicked, searched online and didn't find much about people making the same mistakes as me, most people had just lost the letter. Anyways, I decided I would just take it and explain I made the mistake. When I got to the line it was the same guy as my interview, I knew he was going to be very by the book, and he was, he even pulled a lady out of the ceremony because it was clear she didn't understand enough English to answer the questions. I explained I made the mistake and he looked at it and said no problem, asked me the questions again and let me go through.
While taking the oath, I of course only took the oath I agreed to take, and I went ahead and took the same liberty with the Pledge of Allegiance.
I hope this helps someone. Good luck.