Correct me if I am wrong gentlemen. But as far as I am reading the text correctly at page 66, ALL characters with Magic attribute have their spell selection based on the Priority table, before Special Attribute Points, Karma, etc.
Page 156 says that whenever adept character gains a point of magic, they gain a power point and that characters can hold on to them and use them when ready.
So in my mind, Adept gets his priority based powers and starts a game with a couple of power points ready to spend thanks to Special Attribute Point. Learning a spell (I assume is the same as Adept power) costs 5 karma, takes approx a week and costs some ¥NuYen.
Drek! I was just given something to pursue in the Shadowrun world. I might have to adjust my initial or acquire new Contacts, so I can learn and progress. It feels very much alive and natural, especially for an adept, which I imagine keeps methodical training regimes.
No plan survives first contact with the enemy, so the game design might just gave me a favour, because if my GM puts me into a setting my "OP build" didn't account for, I am flexible.
Be water my friend