The article presents the main aspects of the study aimed at assessing the contribution of social networks to the educational and professional process of students. The article considers various criteria for assessing students' activity in social networks, such as filling out and attractiveness of the profile, activity in creating content, audience involvement, quality and subject matter of content, participation in discussions, response to reviews, formation of a professional image, network communication, ethical behavior and analysis of effectiveness. In addition, a review of scientific literature on the study of social networks in the education system was conducted. Based on the collected data, the authors analyze how students use social networks for communication, information exchange and professional development. The results of the study emphasize the importance of a strategic approach to the use of social networks for educational purposes and provide practical recommendations to educational organizations on optimizing this process