Nov 26, 2016 07:03 PM EST By Julia Ramirez, UniversityHerald Reporter

College students often are present-oriented. They do not think of the future. Their focus involves studying for the latest exam, seeking which party to attend, or searching for the cheapest tickets for the game next weekend.

Too much focus on the present can bring negative impacts on a college student's future. The good news is that a student can control his destiny. Before entering the workforce, he must plan for retirement to ensure that he will have comfortable times in the future.

In a commentary in Times,  college students have the capacity to save for retirement regardless of major or income level.

Here are four retirement saving tips for college students:

Begin an IRA

Students can create an Individual Retirement Account regardless if he or she is eligible for a 401(k) at the workplace. Students can contribute money that has been gained through work and not through money that has been given. It is advisable that a person talk to a financial adviser before creating an IRA to make sure that the funds are appropriate for one's age and one's retirement goals.

Utilize online apps

Technology has created apps that simplify the investing process. One of these apps is Acorns that allows little amount of money to exchange traded funds. Young investors would be delighted to have these Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) as they can see growth in their portfolio without opting for individual stocks.

Use lifecycle funds or robo advisors. Betterment is one Robo advisor that can help college students on how to invest. These robo advisors ask questions that determine which funds are the best to meet one's goals. Fidelity, a brokerage, offers low-cost lifecyle funds that automatically balance one's investments as one ages.

Open an employer-sponsored plan. College students can ask their employers for 401(k)s and other retirement plants.

The earlier a person starts saving, the greater amount of savings will compound that would be utilized in the future.

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