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Sweat pants and yoga pants seem to have taken over as the universal college student uniform. Rolling out of bed and heading to class is a norm for many college students, both male and female; but taking a look at the effects of dressing to impress may have students re-evaluating their wardrobe choices.

“Your dress really reflects your concentration and how you feel about yourself and what you’re doing,” Lynn Blake, a fashion design professor at Lasell College in Newton, Massachusetts, said in a USA Today College interview. “It shows how seriously you take it.”

In a study done by Northwestern University scientists in 2012, it was found that wearing specific clothing can directly affect the wearers’ psychological behavior while in the garment. This theory is known as enclothed cognition.

For example, a doctor wearing a lab coat will be more precise and attentive than one in casual clothes. This same theory applies to both the professional and academic worlds.

Communication professor Stephen Winzenburg stresses the importance of professionalism through clothing choices in his senior communication seminar class. He said that one should dress themselves in preparation for the career they aspire to.

“If you want to be successful, you need to look and act successful,” Winzenburg said. “When you aspire to a certain career or a certain level of success, you should be living that way every day through how you dress, how you act and how you keep yourself.”

Along with preparing for the career you want to work in, Winzenburg mentioned another reason why students should make a habit of going that extra mile when getting ready for their day in college.

“The people that dress nicely, the girls that do their makeup and hair before class and the guys that at least have taken a shower; those people care,” Winzenburg said. “Everything they do in their college years does have an impact on their future.”

It is no surprise that taking your apparel as seriously as you take your job leads to confidence and in most cases, promotions and greater success within your job, but what about the effects of dressing professionally in a classroom?

In a poll taken from both males and females on campus, the average student said they wore sweat pants twice a week, which correlated with a minimum GPA of 3.0.

So, while wearing sweat pants at least twice a week might not be directly related to a lower GPA, getting in the habit of wearing sweat pants more than twice a week could lead to below average test performance. This habit might also create a poor image and reputation with professors and job recruiters around campus and lower your confidence.

For some students, especially those tasked with juggling school, athletic activities and work, the priority is often comfort over style or professionalism.

“The main factor for wearing sweat pants is having an extra hour or more of sleep and then just getting up and throwing them on rather than taking time to do my hair, makeup and put on nice clothes,” sophomore nursing major Jenna Sheirbon said.

Sheirbon said that although she cares about what her professors think of her, she doesn’t think that her choice of attire is the only contributing factor to how they view her as a student and person.

“I value the opinion of my professors because the better relationship you have with them, the (greater chance) you will have succeeding in the classroom,” Sheirbon said. “(But) I think professors focus on who is paying attention in class rather than what they are wearing.”

Carly Heltinger, author of “The Freshman 50” and writer of the blog titled “The College Prepster,” poses a theory of “dress well, test well,” which contends that dressing nice, even on test days, promotes a better performance.

Finding outfits that put you in a positive mindset can be key to deciding what to wear in college. If you look like you are about to head to bed or are just getting out of bed, you probably are not going to be very attentive or productive during the school day.

Dressing well establishes your presence around campus to your professors, possible employers, colleagues, fellow students and, most importantly, yourself.

Combining style and comfort is one simple and easy way to start putting more effort into wardrobe selections.

For ladies, wearing leggings and a big sweater with the right accessories and boots can go a long way while still keeping it simple. For guys, maintaining comfortability while wearing a solid color t-shirt or hoodie paired with black or regular jeans, as well as a bomber jacket or flannel is a great segue to get out of the athletic t-shirts and sweatpants.

Taking the step of extra effort on test days can really improve the outcome of your test results and mentality.

“The younger I was, the more I would have said (that what you wear) has zero impact on your productivity and mindset, but now, more than ever, I see the value in making yourself look presentable,” Gena English, an architectural and design consultant for furniture manufacturing company Herman-Miller, Inc., in Dallas said.

Much like a student working on homework in a dorm room, English mentioned that on occasion she has the opportunity to work from home, but unlike college students, she takes the extra effort even when she may not directly be in front of anyone.

“I read an article years ago about a housewife that said if she didn’t put her shoes on she wasn’t as productive. She got dressed every day to go see the world, and she was far more productive than if she would have worn sweats,” English said. “If I don’t get up, get dressed and put my makeup on when I’m working from home, I know I won’t be as efficient and productive in my work.”

After reading this, you might be asking yourself, “should I still wear sweats to class?” The correct answer is at the appropriate time and place. If you are watching Netflix in your dorm room or lounging around on a Sunday afternoon, by all means, wear your sweatpants. However, if you are in class, trying to get the most out of the education you pay for, the sweat pants and yoga pants should be traded for outfits that help propel you into your career, and prepare you for professionalism in the workplace as a whole.