The latest buzz that college recruiters are using Facebook and other social media sites to learn more about prospective students seems more like a confirmation of social media’s expansion as a business tool than a revelation.

Still, Kaplan’s report that says 82 percent of surveyed college recruiters use Facebook to recruit students is yet another eye opener to those who think their presentation on social media sites have no lasting consequences.

Others have chimed in on the subject, including Harvard interviewer Allison Otis. Otis confirms that Facebook is used when weeding through candidates and the impression left by social media sites can influence a final decision – sometimes for the worse.

Of course, there is a flip side to that.

Both Otis and Dean Tsouvalas, editor of StudentAdvisor, say that social media can be used to students’ advantages if managed responsibly.

“It is okay to be online doing your thing on social networks, just be smart and savvy about it, and use your skills to your advantage. Seize the opportunity to sell yourself and your assets to the schools you want to go to…” Tsouvalas said in his blog.

Using Facebook, Twitter and YouTube as a way to market yourself as a knowledgeable and engaged student can do nothing but help the cause. Tsouvalas mentioned linking to a recruitment video in applications as an example of showcasing a student’s extracurriculars before recruiters get a chance to discuss them.

Some seem to already understand that method. Kaplan disclosed that four of five surveyed recruiters admitted to being sent or knowing of colleagues being sent friend requests from applicants. It’s interesting that this new generation of social media users understand selling themselves on these platforms to get a jump on the recruitment process.

Of course for every on-the-ball student utilizing social networking proactively, there are five students who don’t get it. Listing Millard Fillmore as an interest could be beneficial. Listing Miller Lite as an interest would be the opposite of that.

While social media originally was all about having fun and networking with similar-aged peers, those days have long passed. For those who insist on broadcasting less professional status updates, quotes, photos, videos, etc, – changing privacy settings can certainly help. But the network is massive now and as social media grows up, so must its users.

So fear not, social users. In fact, get used to it, embrace it even.

It’s already well-known that employers scope out social profiles when looking at candidates. This is only the logical next step.