<p>As for the “one lab taking six hours” – often you wouldn’t just be doing one experiment during those six hours. For example, you might start a particular reaction, let it bubble away for a few hours, and in the meantime complete another task.</p>
<p>I’ve always found college labs very helpful, and not just in the “technical skills” sense. Doing a particular procedure, and understanding why you’re doing all the steps, can help you understand material in your other science classes.</p>