NSA certainly doesn’t use it to thwart terrorism. The attacks we’ve seen have been from known wolves who’ve already been reported to the authorities by concerned citizens and family.
The FBI even sat idle and watched as a team of terrorists attempted to storm the “dram Mohammed” cartoon contest in Irving Texas, as if it was permissible to let them take out critics of radical Islam. The event organizers were not informed of the credible threat to their lives.
I recommend you don’t wait for anyone to tell you about a credible threat to your life. Go to class, get a permit to carry a concealed weapon, practice, carry, read the book “Sheep No More”, be vigilant, and suspect everything may be geared to harm you. Situational Awareness is very important for you and those you care about.