There are many ways to prepare for a college test, and every student is unique with their own way of studying that works best for them. Here at the University of Kansas Office of First Year Experience there are some tools and strategies that help you get the most out of college as a freshman and beyond. These tools consist of being highly motivated, knowing how to set goals and, importantly: having good study habits. In college, students must be masters at setting goals and must also have high levels of hope for themselves and their dreams. This literature review will discuss how a student's study habits, strategies, and motivation levels influence his or her success in college. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay As a new college student, it all depends on what strategies work best for you. Some strategies that the Office of First Year Experience believes are the most effective for students range from setting goals, being motivated, having high hopes as a student, and of course, working hard. Sarah Sparks published an article on the Professional Development Collection database and stated that "Disciplined effort directed at specific learning goals to an appreciable degree determines college outcomes, and student effort likely also interacts with specific learning skills and strategies as it expresses goal-directed behavior" (Scintille, 1). Students with more effective learning skills may benefit more from a given effort, and future research could explore the interrelationships between motivations and goals, learning skills and strategies, and the engagement behaviors that students display over the course of a semester." (Svanum 129). In this statement the author states that depending on where students focus their efforts and their major, it can really impact the success they will achieve in college. Additionally, some students may have a greater advantage than others because they naturally have more efficient learning abilities, so with more effort they can make huge gains. Motivation is a key aspect of surviving college. An article written in the Journal of College Student Development by Soren Svanum and Silvia M. Bigatti states that “student motivation that results in increased engagement can tangibly improve college success, encourage self-sufficiency, and enable students to exercise greater control over one's university destiny". ” (Svanum 131). As mentioned by the author in this quote, being motivated and being able to execute it correctly can open numerous doors for students. Being able to be self-sufficient is extremely important as you grow up because your parents are no longer there to hold your hand. On the other hand, improving your college success and having some control over your destiny is equally important. Every student who has ever succeeded in college and after has had high hopes for him/her and worked harder than ever just to get there. . Having the ability to work hard should be a common skill for everyone. From the article titled Even Geniuses Work Hard by Carol S. Dweck, “Students with a fixed mindset don't like effort. They believe that if you have ability, everything should happen naturally. They tell us that when they have to work hard they feel stupid. Students with a growth mindset, in contrast, appreciate effort; they make it.