Don't get too upset Sara.  Ask yourself, Do you really want to work somewhere that treats their people that way?

If you do, then you need to increase your reaction to the Control Questions by using mental or physical countermeasures.  You're going to have to do some reading.  You're being TOO honest.  They count on you lying about the Control Questions, so make them count... panic over the lie.

Hey Sara,

  I have been through it may times with NSA - a lot of
their polygraphers' behavior is very inappropriate, as
with NSA affiliates, in general.  I worked there for many
years, but gave up, on my clearance reinstatement, 
after they put me in limbo.  I very well know that 
feeling of worthlessness and rejection, but it really is
not a reflection on you, just their dysfunctional system.
There is a lot of hype about NSA, but it really is not what
people think - basically, it is just another Government
agency, but with many personnel issues.  When first
starting out with NSA, back in the 1980's, I was
mystified and had that type of subservient personality
they desire; it took many years of personal growth to
get to the point of rejecting them.

If you live in the Washington, D.C. area, you could 
consider, a contractor position in the Northern Virginia
area (Tyson's Corner is very close to Maryland). There
are many more positions available that require
clearances, versus Maryland, just because of the number
of cleared Goverment agencies (CIA, NRO, DIA, FBI, NGA,
DHS).  If you have the right education and/or job skills,
many contractors may be willing to sponser your
clearance, especially, if you have a clean background.
Since you have probably already been prescreened, an
easier route to go, is to apply for a CIA Secret clearance
(no polygraph required), through a contractor; this
allows you to work on CIA contracts that someone with
a DoD TS/SCI would need to have, to qualify.  I found
this job description for a position with Unisys, as a
software engineer:

 "requires current/active DoD TS/SCI, or Secret ISA
  clearance"

The DoD, because of clearance backlogs, has
suspended processing of new Top Secret clearances.
There is a lot less "leg work" for processing of Secret,
versus Top Secret clearances.  A DoD Secret takes time
to transfer to the CIA, because non-SCI DoD clearances
do not have the family/relatives US citizenship 
requirements, as the CIA.  I have an active CIA Secret
and current CIA Top Secret clearances.  I was
downgraded to Secret, because that is all our project
requires, but I am not worried, because someone else
would have to have a DoD TS/SCI, to work at the CIA
Secret level.  I believe, that an off-site CIA Top Secret
does not always require a polygraph.  Just be very
careful, if you decide to persue the NSA clearance; if you
do not get through a third polygraph, and get a
rejection, that is put into an Intel community-wide
database, that indicates the granting and rejection of
clearances.  A failure at NSA, will affect your chances of
getting cleared at another agency.  If you have any
doubts, you can have your application withdrawn from
NSA, before you get a rejection.

But ask yourself this question - do you really want to
work for an agency that illegally gets access to our
phone records, and now, probably our Internet
activities ?  The NSA has a long history of abuses.

P.S. When polygraphers, say, "I'm here to help you", is
their "good-guy" routine, and is a total lie.  I can laugh
now, thinking back to my earlier years, believing this
B.S.  I remember one polygrapher that told me it was
him and I against the NSA !  Once you learn their little
routines, it is laughable !  Also, when they go out of the
room for ten minutes to, "talk with their supervisor",
they are watching you with the camera, and probably
going to the bathroom and getting a cup of coffee.  The
whole routine is one big bluff; that is why they are so
upset with this site.

Wallerstein,

  With DoD clearances, there is the JPASS database. I
heard that there is a database, or they are working on
one, for Intel agencies to share information
(granting of/denial of clearances).  When I went into
the interview, for my current employer, the SSO was
able to look up my CIA clearance status, from his office
off-site.  CIA clearances do not show up in JPASS.
Also, I believe, that if someone refuses to
take a polygraph, they are also flagged.  If someone
withdraws their application, from further processing, I
don't know, if that is flagged.  I think one is only
screwed, if they go through the whole polygraph
process, and receive an actual rejection letter.  Even if
one gets through the polygraph, a denial could be 
based on the TS background investigation.  I got
through the polygraph, at NSA years ago, but still got a
denial, for other bullshit reasons, appealed it, and won.
Failing one, or two, polygraphs is not a rejection, until
the polygraph process is exhausted.  A lot of times,
applicants have no idea what they are risking, and NSA
is not up front about the risks involved - it is to their
advantage, to keep applicants "in the dark".

A note to Sara: You will find the DoD, NRO, CIA, and
probably most other Intel agencies much more fair to
deal with, than the NSA.  I have known people who
got outright rejections, from NSA, and were able to get
cleared through the NRO and CIA.  I had some issues,
a few years ago (that are now resolved), and when I
talked with my DoD investigator, for my TS 5-year
update, I knew to be totally honest with him; the DoD
is very fair, up to a certain point, but the key is to be
totally honest (or, they will get you on
"Personal Conduct").  From what I read, in a message
post here, someone posted their NSA rejection letter; I
believe, it was due to "Personal Conduct".  It looked
like NSA  got him, simply because they thought he was
withholding information, or not telling the truth.  At
least a DoD clearance can be appealed in a DoD 
court, but polygraph results cannot be reviewed, or
appealed.   The polygraph is an easy way out for
agencies, thus, full of abuses.

Wallerstein,

Yes, I believe there is a difference, because with an
outright denail of clearance, one cannot reapply. 

Just remember, be TOTALLY honest with the
investigator, and I am sure you will be fine ! What I am
not sure about, is whether NSA/CIA can deny based on
"Personal Conduct", if in their infinite wisdom, they
determine through the mystical polygraph charts, that
someone was being deceptive. 

It is rumored, that NSA has a database of disgruntled 
Intelligence Community employees (gosh, I wonder, if I
am in there).  What NSA can also do, to get rid of
current employees, is to make them take a psych test,
and of course, they fail; if you remember, this happened
to Russ Tice (NSA whistleblower).  I believe that NSA,
in the end, is going "to do it to themselves", if strong
encryption doesn't do it first, plus now that the Cold
War is over...