Two years ago, J.J. Ortiz was a first-gen applicant in Pittsburgh who found ESAI on TikTok. He used it to get into Duke (and Georgetown, Notre Dame, USC... we'll get there). Then he DM'd us on Instagram, became our social media intern, and now uses Brandi — our AI career agent — to figure out what comes next.
We built ESAI to be with students for the whole journey, from first college essay to first job offer. J.J. is what that actually looks like. So I sat down with him and asked.
Act I: The TikTok algorithm does its thing
How did you first hear about ESAI?
On TikTok! I remember seeing some of my favorite college app influencers talk about it, specifically @TineoCollegePrep. (Shoutout Brandon Tineo!)
Were you skeptical? AI for something as personal as college essays is a big ask.
A little skeptical on how it worked, honestly. But after trying the free version and seeing how detailed the essay feedback was, I kept using it for the rest of my apps.
Which part helped you most?
The essays. For one of my supplementals, I was really struggling with the flow. I put it into ESAI and got detailed feedback that explained what it thought my essay was about and where it could be taken. That was the part that helped most — having my essays explained back to me. I wrote about heavy, personal topics, so I wasn't comfortable sharing them with others. ESAI gave me a new perspective on my own writing without me having to hand it to another person.
(We hear this a lot from our students: the essay editor they trust most is the one that isn't a person.)
Okay, the results. Where did you apply and where did you get in?
I applied to 16 schools: Georgetown, Duke, Notre Dame, USC, Fordham, Pitt, Princeton, Yale, Brown, Columbia, UCSD, UC Berkeley, MIT, UChicago, Stanford, and UCLA. I got into Georgetown, Duke, UCSD, and Notre Dame, Fordham, USC, and Pitt all with honors.
Why Duke?
It was the only campus where I could actually see myself thrive. I wanted a place far from home (but not too far), academic (but not too academic), and a place where I could live out all the unique parts of myself. Funny thing — I applied kind of last minute, did the whole app in one day, and did not expect to get in. I remember using ESAI on those essays.
You make content for first-gen, low-income applicants. What do tools like this change for students without counselors or expensive consultants?
ESAI gives FGLI students access to the same resources as students from higher socioeconomic backgrounds. For far too long, higher education has been dominated by the wealthy. Tools like this make it possible for students from all backgrounds to succeed.
Act II: Shooting your shot
So you're at Duke. How did you end up working here?
I was doing social media marketing for a few AI startups but having trouble finding meaning in the work. I didn't feel connected to those companies. I wondered if I could work for ESAI, since it was a company I actually admired. So I shot my shot and DM'd the ESAI Instagram account. Luckily I got a response, and even more luckily, they were looking for a social media intern. I applied, got the offer, and it's been amazing ever since.
(Editor's note: he has since broken several million views on our accounts. The DM worked out for everyone.)
What's it like being inside a product you used as an applicant?
Very helpful for marketing, actually. I can think back to what attracted me to ESAI and apply that to the content I make. I get to promote something I know is impactful from firsthand experience. That makes this role special for me.
Act III: Brandi enters the chat
How do you describe Brandi to your friends?
A personal AI voice assistant who helps you get an internship or job. She's there for every part of the process, from finding listings to figuring out what to say in an interview.
What's the most useful part?
The BrandID, definitely. I haven't heard of any product that does something like it. As jobs and admissions get more competitive, it's so important to understand your story and what makes you unique compared to other applicants.
Give me a specific moment.
I'm a rising sophomore and still unsure what to study. In one of my first calls with Brandi, I told her I'm interested in both Public Policy and Film — two seemingly polar opposite majors. She helped me realize there are opportunities that fit that exact combination. We talked through media internships and jobs in the policy world, and I came away more confident that there's a career path for my specific set of interests.
And long-term? Beyond the next internship?
Brandi helps me understand my story… my "tell me about yourself." That's a question I'll answer in every interview at every stage of life. She's bringing clarity to what the rest of my life could look like.
What's the mood among your classmates about jobs right now?
Stressed. On one hand, friends are worried about standing out. They join every club and apply to every leadership position just to land the big finance or tech internship. On the other hand, some are worried there won't even be jobs for their majors because of AI. Both worries come back to the same thing: knowing your story and finding the roles that actually fit it.
Everyone your age uses AI for schoolwork. Career stuff?
100% of my friends use AI for schoolwork — ChatGPT summaries, Claude Code, all of it. But almost none of them use it for career stuff. I think they're stuck in the framework that AI is for specific, objective answers, like 2+2=4. They'd be open to it.They just don't know it's an option yet.
Last one. What would you tell high-school J.J., mid-application?
Be yourself! You have a unique story to tell. Focus on telling that and it will all work out. I worried too much about having the perfect extracurriculars and grades. Now that I'm in college, I realize the most important thing is you and your experiences.
That's the whole thesis, from someone who's lived it twice. Your story got you into college. It's what will get you the internship, the job, the career. ESAI just helps you tell it well at every stage.
J.J. Ortiz is a rising sophomore at Duke and ESAI's social media intern. You can find him on our Instagram and TikTok @esai_toolkit.
