I think it is pretty darn important for some, my ds10 has had serious issues with not finding kids to hang with that get him. The gt program has helped and 1 or 2 kids his age seem to click with him, but his 2 best friends are 2 years older. I have skipped my dd4 into K, thankfully, and she is really making some better connections now. I did not think she had it too bad because she is pretty outgoing, but the k teacher has remarked a couple times on how much better socially she seems in this new setting than before. She would just play by herself previously.
Ds10 is decided against any of the magnet middle schools because he would have to 'start over' trying to get to know people and, again, at the regular middle school he will finally get to hang out in school with his best buddies, at least for 1 year.
