Foundation year or direct entry for anxious IB student studying biosciences?

[SoloFlying]

DD17 has severe anxiety in exams, I'm talking full-blown panic attacks. We live abroad currently, and she is doing IB, heading to Uni in Sept 2027, when I will move back to the UK as well, as much as its time anyway, having lived abroad the last 16 years as to support her by being in the same country. And just to say, despite the exam anxiety, she is still keen to go to Uni and I also think its the right thing for her to mature a bit more before her first job. Also, I am aware she'll be paying international fees.

Her grades in class can sit in the range of 5/6, sometimes even 7 out of 7, but exams can drop as low as 3/4 out of 7. Her absolute preferred place would be York; she knows the city, has cousins nearby who went to the Uni, so there is familiarity, and she loved the campus feel. She is unlikely to get the grades they're asking for, a 35 and 5/6 in two HL sciences. But just to give an idea of the type of city/campus she likes.

Then the other day I saw a thread here about UEA and great pastoral care - they ask 32 but I spotted they had a foundation year. And it got me thinking that might be a better option for her: a Year 0 where she gets used to Uni and living in dorms. The subject matter may be repetitive, but the broader aspect could be a good idea.

So I guess I have two questions

1. Views on foundation years in these circumstances? Are the foundation students looked down on at all? How do Dorms work - could she be in them for the Foundation Year and Year 1? There are quite a few options, including foundation years, albeit not York and some of them are geared for mature students or non-English students, so it's not always a given its right for her.
2. If Year 1 entry, what Unis to consider - she wants to do Bio or Bio Sciences and has HL Bio, Chem, Psych. She's looked at Dundee or Stirling (we have Scottish family, and I grew up there). Reading/UEA are slightly higher, as I say, but not York level. Sheffield Hallam, maybe?

Having lived abroad for so long, I'm a little out of the loop, so I would appreciate any thoughts or ideas.

Hi OP

I'm sorry to hear about your DD's panic attacks. My DD also had panic attacks at school in the last 3 years of school and I am happy to say that they have not happened once at university.

Is your DD currently in Year 12 or in Year 13? My DD's gap year was the making of her - she gained so much self-confidence and maturity.

Delighted to hear your DD has settled at Uni, stories like that give me confidence she’ll get there.

She’s Y12 now so this summer we’ll head to UK for open days hence trying to narrow down some options now. We have chatted about gap year, it could be a good thing, but at the moment she sees that as plan b if her grades don’t pan out. Resits plus some working etc

I think that a properly structured gap year would be more valuable than a foundation year for a child who had done the IB outside the UK.

Can I ask what your DD did during hers?

She did the first year of Florence Academy of Art