<p>You might find this article from a 2008 Stanford Alum magazine helpful:</p>
<p>[STANFORD</a> Magazine: September/October 2008 > Features > Admissions Essays Opening Lines](<a href=“http://www.stanfordalumni.org/news/magazine/2008/sepoct/features/essays.html]STANFORD”>http://www.stanfordalumni.org/news/magazine/2008/sepoct/features/essays.html)</p>