The freshman dropout rate is a problem facing colleges throughout the country. But there may be an unexpected tool that can help schools turn this around. Social networks – which some experts consider the downfall of education – may help keep students in school.

At least, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is betting on it.

They’re investing $2 million in Inigral, a company that’s using a Facebook application called Schools App to build a community among incoming college students.

Michael Staton, Inigral’s CEO, told npr.org: “What we do is make sure that when students arrive they either already have assembled or [can] very quickly assemble that kind of peer support.”

The basic idea: Getting freshmen immersed in their college community right from the start helps them find their comfort zone – and encourages them to stick around.

Not a bad idea, considering the average dropout rate at U.S. colleges is around 25% right now, according to Alltop.com

Although more research is needed, some studies already have supported the idea that Facebook is a real “friend” when it comes to college retention.

Last year, Abilene Christian University in Texas looked at 375 students and found returning sophomores had 27 more friends and nearly 60 more wall posts than those who decided not to return to school, according to Braintrack.com

So the early assumption seems to be: The more active a student is on Facebook, the more involved he is in campus activities.

Again, that’s good news for the struggle to keep students in college.

Do you think social networking plays a role in keeping students coming back? Let us know in the comments section below.

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