For those of you pursuing classroom training, you may be able to find some sources of funding for your training. You'll want to be sure to check with the CTEC you are considering to see if they have any scholarships, grants or other assistance. Also, it's not a bad idea to check with local government employment agencies to see if they have any money set aside for re-training. In addition, you'll want to be sure to check with your current employer to see if they may be willing to reimburse part or all of your training expenses. Non-adaptive tests are probably the ones you're most familiar with.
Adaptive tests are a little different.
You start out with a question of medium difficulty. If you get it right , the computer adjusts you score upwards and gives you a tougher question. If you get it wrong, your score is adjusted downward and you are given an easier question. The process continues until the computer reaches a degree of certainty that you can score above or below the pass mark. Be sure to check out our MCSE Articles for a lot of good information and advice.