heuristic: a strategy to solve problems by eliminating combinations that do not make sense through trial and error.
algorithm: step-by-step procedures that guarantee a solution
I employed a heuristic to decide which colleges I would apply to, but I also incorporated some aspects of an algorithm. My method included a loosely step-by-step procedure, but did not include the strict structure and guaranteed answer of an algorithm. So in that way, my procedure resembled a heuristic more.
To begin with, I chose where I would be interested in living for the next four years. So, I chose to only look at colleges that were in California and were mostly near highly populated areas where I would be exposed to many opportunities and adventures. Next, I chose to discard colleges that I would never be able to afford, which eliminated all private schools in California. The next few steps on my college journey were not as clear as my previous steps. I looked into the majors that were offered at colleges, as well as opportunities for undergraduate research. I looked into campus safety and on-campus housing. But in general, I just tried to get as much relevant information about campuses as I could. In that way, the beginning of my strategy resembled an algorithm more, while the end resembled a heuristic.
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