Just thinking about the stressful situation of the last few weeks in England - press briefings about falling results, universities breaking embargo’s, kids missing firm & insurance places. Kids slipping several grade boundaries. And above all dealing with results and their impact on the same day.
In Scotland most kids sit Highers at the end of their 5th year in secondary. Their results will determine which universities they should apply to, but there is a bit of space between dealing with results and applying - giving kids and parents time to process and adjust expectations. Depending on achieved results at Higher, course and university kids will then get unconditional or conditional (on additional results the following year) offers.
Kids then sit more Highers or Advanced Highers (or a combo) in their 6th year giving them a chance to improve their performance, chances, and to go deeper in their preferred subjects.
There are disadvantages of course, not least having national exams 3 years in a row & narrower syllabus to enable the short learning windows.
But overall seems more humane & far less stressful.