I have decided to pursue an MCSE certification, and am trying to decide which path to follow. One important criteria for me is to get back in the job market as soon as possible. I have been working in the IT industry for 36 years supporting IBM mainframe systems. I was layed-off last May and have not yet been able to land a job. Probably because of my age (58), but also because all of the IBM Mainframe shops have migrated to larger cities, which I am unwilling to do. Most of the jobs available locally are now Microsoft territory. The two options I am currently considering are: 1) Sign up for classes at a local learning center. They offer 37 days of training spread over 8 months (approximately 1 week of classroom per month). Cost is 00 which includes classroom, books, tests, etc. 2) Purchase, and study, self-paced training kits available from Amazon; and set up lab here at home. The first issue is that the 00 seems like an awful lot of money. However, I spoke with the unemployment office here and they are actually considering paying for it since I am a "displaced worker". I should know more about that later in the week. Even if they are willing to do that for me, I am still not sure it is the best path, for a variety of reasons. Concerning my own learning style, I don't think there is a big difference which way I go. However, I do recognize that the independent study approach takes more personal initiative. One last thought. I have been lurking in this group for awhile, and agree with the general sentiment on "brain dumps". I am not interested in this approach, and I expect to earn my certification. And and all feedback is welcome. Thanks, Mike