Not exactly true on the first part, but yes, the Scottish rite takes a rather onerous path, unless you do it over a three day weekend, missing significant parts of it.
I took the York rite degree by degree, though I stopped after Royal Arch Masonry, because I moved and never did pass on to Cryptic Masonry.
After I moved, I started discussions with my new parish priest, joined the KofC and eventually left Freemasonry.
Thank God,dear brother. My past is really bad-only the Grace of God pulled me out of it and I fear never to return to the vomit