1. A method for suggesting new connections to a user of a social networking system, the method comprising: generating a list of candidate connections not connected to the user in the social networking system; predicting the likelihood of a connection between the user and each candidate connection, the likelihood calculated responsive to historical user data within the social networking system; determining a value to the social networking system of a new connection between the user and each candidate connection, the value based on data associated with the user and the connection in the social networking system; computing an expected value for each candidate connection, the expected value based on the predicted likelihood of a connection between the user and the candidate connection and the determined value to the social networking system of a new connection between the user and the candidate connection; and suggesting one or more candidate connections to the user, the candidate connections suggested based on the computed expected value associated with each candidate connection.