In response to remote learning needs during the COVID-19 pandemic, introductory lecture and laboratory courses typically delivered fully in person were offered in a completely virtual format for the first time. Introductory laboratory courses are pivotal foundations for future discipline-specific learning and serve as prerequisites for a myriad of upper-level courses. To understand the impact of taking a prerequisite laboratory course online, we launched a study within our introductory chemistry curriculum. Two student groups in a fully in-person General Chemistry 2 laboratory course were studied in spring 2021--those who completed the prerequisite lab course online (N = 258) and those who fulfilled the prerequisite via an exam or dual-enrollment programs (N = 85). Using paired pre- and postsurveys, we examined student perceptions of their affective and cognitive learning and found the mode of prerequisite course did not affect student perceptions of cognitive learning but did influence affective expectations and perceived experiences. Herein, we discuss the divergences between the two student groups, the role the prerequisite online lab course played in student downstream learning, and recommendations for science lab instructors as institutions shift back to in-person environments.