Joining Process!

Do I have this correct?  A person must join the site first in order to be able to upgrade their membership level?  In other words if a member has already decided to pick let's call it membership upgrade 3 the only way they can do that is to join and get the first type of membership offered I.E. a standard or promotional membership BUT AND HOWEVER they have no option to pick and pay for membership upgrade 3 during the first initial joining process?  This is very awkward if true and time consuming as well.  If I am correct and I am pretty sure I am, then there is a training process that must be taught to the end user who may or may not have already decided to choose the upgraded level already.  If that is correct it is making a decisive person jump through hoops in order to get what they want or in this case upgrade #3.  These hoops are in direct contrast to the type personality or driver, driver wants to go through.  Once again ignoring a ease of use joining process like a Pinterest experience.  I hope I am wrong here but because you have to be a member to see the membership upgrade options I don't thing I am.  

I really think there needs to be a more well thought out joining process that gives the end user options to pay right up front and move into using the site.  I see now having to make a joining screen capture video going through the joining process and looking like an idiot because of it. #1 do this #2 do this #3 will allow you to do what you should be able to do by simply joining the site under that membership but that can't be done?  If I am mistaken and I could be I digress but please tell me the path on how to do that... 

So it is true...

Correct. It's always been like that. There has never been a option to choose and pay for a membership during the signup process.

So help me understand the logic in that?  Why are paying options of an upgrade not offered in the original joining process?  

1) Standard Join

2) Other Membership options

Again if a person already says yep upgrade 3 or Membership 3 is what I want right from the initial decision why force them to go through multiple processes to get there?  

First Name:

Last Name:

Email:

Drop Down of Membership Options 

Which if one chosen is paying the system goes through the paying process and assigns the proper level of membership in one action and not multiple actions to accomplish the same thing.  Even if this must be done why can't it be a multi stage process that completes each stage in a process that appears to be one continued process... 

Doing a screen capture video of this process to get to a paid upgrade which is a step by step process of each single movement makes it seem like a silly riddle that some my ask why most would say is he kidding?  Why so many step... Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated...