Final answer:
False, a personal statement should not solely focus on personal life history but rather on demonstrating academic readiness, career goals, and unique qualifications relevant to the field of psychology.
Step-by-step explanation:
The assertion that your personal statement for graduate school applications should focus the most on your personal life history and how it influenced your desire to become a psychologist is False. While personal life history can play a part, the primary aim is to showcase your academic readiness, career aspirations, and relevant experiences or accomplishments that align with the field of psychology. Rule 2 of writing a personal statement emphasizes the importance of showing something unique about yourself, typically through personal stories that demonstrate your character, interests, and uniqueness.
Rule 4 recommends selecting an overarching theme to connect multiple stories in your essay, ensuring they reflect personal growth, learning experiences, or achievements aligned with the intended field of study. Lastly, Rule 6 advises against discussing certain personal matters unless they serve to enhance the essay's theme and relevance to your goals in psychology.
Instead of focusing only on your personal life, connect your experiences to the skills and knowledge required in psychology, as outlined in the personal application questions, such as showing interest in specific areas of I-O psychology and the KSAs necessary for a desired position.