Most days are 9-12 and then labs in the afternoon. The class is divided up into different lab times. You should be done by 4 everyday, sometimes you get out of lab early. I think most of the classes are mandatory the first year. you can still study during class while the teacher is lecturing if you have a test coming up. First semester is not too bad, but the 2nd semester will weed out those that are not putting their time in.
Notes are usually posted on blackboard or purchased at the beginning of the semester. Lectures are voice recorded and also the computer screen is captured in a video, so you can see what the professor is pointing to on the computer screen. I never used the recordings because I went to class but some people live off of them. If you have any more questions, let us know.