Sadly, that is the case in many countries...
As for socializing, I meet plenty of people, of all ages. One of the great things about unschooling - in my opinion - is that it allows you to interact with people from other social backgrounds, older or younger than you. So, it's easier to find friends with similar interests to yours (since you're doing what you want). It's harder to do that in school because there you have forced socializing only with people your own age and usually similar backgrounds.
I'm glad you enjoyed the article!