So I go into to take my first ever polygraph (Lifestyle) test.  My company is sponsoring Top Secret w/ NSA Lifestyle Poly.   I’m waiting in the lobby room and a cute lady calls my name and we go into the small testing room in the back.

We go over my SF-86 to verify my form and everything I put down. (Standard Procedure) We talk about everything I put down on the form and if there are any additional things I needed to add before the test starts.  The only thing I needed to add was a little road trip to Canada w/ my parents about 8 years ago.  She said that was no big deal.
She shows me the polygraph equipment and explains what tools monitors for.

She then goes over the three sets of questions.  (Counterintelligence (CI), Drugs/Crimes,(DC) General (G))

She hooks me up and gets a reading (Control question).  She gets that reading and the actual test begins.

Starts out with some CI questions mixed with some basic general questions.  Then she asks some D/C questions. Then she asks some CI questions w/ some D/C questions.  Stops the test.
2 minute break.   
Hooks me up again. And we do the same thing in a different order.
2 minute break.
Same thing but a different order.
She then leaves the room.
Comes back in 5-10mins
Hooks me back up and goes over CI questions
2 minute break
Hooks me back up goes over D/C questions
Break.  During the break she tells me my body is responding to the Drug Question… to the Exact Drug Question:  (Have you done any illegal drugs since the age 16 other than what we already spoke about)
I response w/ a simple OK. She responds w/ “ is there anything else you want to tell me about this, did you do any other drugs in Amsterdam, I know Mushrooms is a big deal in Amsteredam.” I Response w/ a simple No and about how I was scared to do anything else but pot in Amsterdam.   

She then leaves the room.

Comes back in 5 minutes.  Hooks me up again and goes over the Drug question w/ me again and some General Control Questions.
Take a 2 minute break
She then says “We’re not going to get through this you have to tell me….is there anything else that you want to tell me, we’re not gonna get through this. I simply respond w/ I have told you everything that I have done and everythingi stated on my SF86.  This is where it gets interesting…..

She then says this “Alright, this is what I’m going to do for you, I’m going break this drug question down into four small questions….
Did you grow pot?
Did you Sell/Distribute Pot?
Did you Bring back pot from Amsterdam?
Do you currently use Pot”

She then tests me w/ those specific questions and some general control questions.
Then she stops
She then says alright, we’re gonna doing that again.
She starts the test again and asks me those questions again w/ some general questions
Then stops
She then says… “That was your BEST Read all day, you seem a lot more focused.  We don’t need to deal with the Drug questions Anymore”   
Hooks me back up to ask some CI questions + general questions.

She leaves the room, Comes back and says I think I got everything I need for today, If I felt the need and/or suspicion to keep you here any longer you would definitely be here much longer”  She then debriefed me and the test was over.  The total time for the test was a little more than 2 hours.  I’ve heard nightmares where tests have gone as long as 4-5 hours and those failed the test and/or had to retake the test constantly

Any opinions on this experience? I’m not taking anything for granted, but I thought I just share this with you.  I shared my story with the rest of my co-worker and they said that sounds really good, but who knows?

Aside from the polygraph exam itself.  Does the exam also determine eligibility considering your admissions on your SF-86???  For example, recent college grad (Less than a year ago) Tried pot during college and once in Amsterdam?  Noting this was done in the past four years.  Would this possibly disqualify me even though I passed the polygraph exam?

I concur with NoNombre's opinion that you most likely passed the polygraph. The absence of a post-test interrogation after "breakdown test" on drugs is a good indication of this.

Recent marijuana use can indeed be an impediment to being granted a security clearance, but if your stated use were considered to be automatically disqualifying, then it would have made little sense to bring you in for a polygraph examination (not that polygraph screening makes any sense).

Btw....Since I over Analyze things.  I was thinking, whether or not the review board is a standard procedure once polygraph results come back successful?? Or maybe in this case "This person passed the polygraph but we still want to review everything to see if we feel he is a good candidate?????"  I do remember everything goes to a review board to look at everything after the "Polygraph + Background INvestigation" are complete.  Maybe this is a special review board????? I dunno???