Undergraduates reported the impact of pedagogical practices on their perceived stress. Overall, clustered deadlines, unclear instructions, pop quizzes, high-stakes assignments, and cold calling created the most stress. Policies that allow grade recovery, clear instructions, feeling known by the professor, and flexible deadlines alleviated the most stress. Female and underrepresented ethnic minority (URM) students reacted either more positively or more negatively to many pedagogical practices when compared to male and non-URM students. Merit scholars reported greater stress reduction from clear instructions, low-stakes assignments, and flexible deadlines than non-merit-scholars. The authors discuss the implications of these findings for equitable and effective education.