I second Lorel's post. Unhappy, bored, frustrated kids don't attract friends.
Take the academics out of the equation, put the child in a supportive environment that plays to his strengths instead of bashing away at his weaknesses, and friendships are going to come MUCH more easily!
HSers tend to be a lot more accepting of kids with a variety of "issues" as well. By the sheer fact that they're HSing, it's a group of unconventional people who accept doing things differently than most. There's a LOT less pressure on a kid to conform than I saw in public school.
FWIW...
