The GSEC exam is based on the courseware by SANS.  All answers come from the books.  I took it twice.  Once in 2006 and again in 2009 (recert).  All based on the books.  But - real life experience is also a plus.  Since it covers a wide variety of topics (as it is the foundation course for going to 500 level), I would say you will definately need the material unless your knowledge is great in multiple areas.

There may be study guides that are available.  Also - you may want to see if someone may have a practice exam you could have.  They give two and usually, someone only uses one (I did and gave my other away last year).

Hope that helps a bit.  Anything else you'd like to know, please ask!

Thanks for the info guys. I would be interested in whatever you have dynamik just let me know when and if I can help you out in anyway. I do get O'rielly books for free if you want to trade something.

MicroJay this is a open book test from what I have read. What can I bring into the test with me? Can you use the internet to look stuff up? I read that that was done at one point. Can I bring any books that I want or just specific study material I used? Or is it sans material only allowed?

Thanks for the help.

kriscamaro68, take a look at the SANS study program. As a facilitator you can attend the course and get the materials, attend various events and have some more possibilities, still saving a lot of money.

It is an open book exam.  All of them (I believe) is open book.  You can bring any book that you can carry.  I think they limit it to a bag full.  But I have never been 'turned down' by anyone.  It used to be that you were able to do this at home and use the Internet for your exam (2006 was when I took the GSEC first).  The philosophy was that in real life, you would be using the Internet and other resources for problem solving, so why not the tests. 
Then they changed it about three (?) years ago.  It is now a proctored exam and must be done at a authorized location or with an HR Department within your company that registers with SANS to be a proctor.  You can no longer use the Internet or any computer resource.  It is all mind and books/papers.