A new study checked out the relationship between Facebook use and academic performance. Here’s what it found: 

Heard the one about students on Facebook earning lower GPAs than non-users? Not necessarily. A new study from Northwestern University found no connection between time spent on social networking sites and academic performance.

The study, using responses from about 1,000 first-year students at the University of Illinois in Chicago, found sites like Facebook and MySpace had no effect on grades, no matter how much students used them.

The researchers believe the benefits of social-networking sites may cancel out their possible distracting qualities. Rather than wasting time, students may be using social sites to connect with classmates, get information about assignments or more directly engage each other regarding academic matters.

How do students at your school use social networks? Let us know in the comments section.

Tags: Facebook study, Northwestern University, Ohio State University, Social networking and grades