should i even apply for the NSA scholarship? (piracy)

[jauntaround]

I am thinking about applying to the NSA scholarship for High School students.

I am in high school, so I really dont have a lot of experience in a professional interview situation, let alone know what to expect out of a polygraph interview.

Basically, I have not really done anything big, and dont upload anything. I basically downloaded ~300songs, 20 SNES ROMS, Rosetta Stone, maybe 3-4 PC games, ~50 movies, Word, Photoshop, and streamed hundreds of episodes of TV off the net.

That is the extent of my piracy. I really dont think its that bad, compared with some people at my school who have 3 1TB harddrives maxed out. I mean I dont even have 99% of that stuff on my computer anymore.

I mean honestly how many high school students can say they have never illegally downloaded something (especially youtube). I cant imagine techy people applying for Computer Science or Computer Engineering at the NSA not pirating anything.

Well with that I also smoked pot once. Nothing major, I just think you should try things once just for the experience. Smoked it, not for me so i moved on with my life.

I'm in high school. Ive only been in 2 interviews for college.  I really want to have my college paid for and have a strong stable decently well paying government job waiting for me when I graduate.  I just don't want my minor infractions of piracy and one time pot use stop me.

[Twoblock]

jauntaround

What you have done in your young past will have little to no effect on your future with LE I believe. Accept the scholarship, keep your nose clean and record your daily activities, as much as possible, with witnesses i.e. professors and your peers. You will surely be subjected to a polygraph as a condition of employment. If you don't meet the polygrapher's personal standards, you will fail the test. It's in his hands whether you get hired or rejected. Your record keeping can then be shoved under his nose. The records will be evidence if you decide to fight for your rights.

[Twoblock]

jauntaround

I have  some more suggestions.

Make a copy of this thread. It will show your intentions to live a good, clean life.

If any of your peers offer you a joint or even a drink, before you are of legal age to drink, refuse it then ask the persons who makes the offer to sign your log book that you refused.

Study hard and make the best grades you can because you're going to invest 4 years of your life into going to work for the government.

Keep in mind that the agency polygrapher is going to do every thing he can to make you fail if there is an overload of applicants.

These suggestions may seem far out to you right now, but consider it insurance.