TESU changes to the approved providers list?

[ss20ts]

As of right now, SDC is still accepted. That may change next year. It may not. If you stick to an associate's degree and it changes, you're stuck. On the other hand, if you focus on UL credit at SDC, you can get your UL credits done by Jan 1st. With LL credits being much easier to get, it makes sense to fill out the UL credits as soon as you can. You can always use UL credits to get an associate's degree but you can't get a bachelor's degree solely with LL credits.

I don't get it, how am I stuck if I graduate with the associate degree?

SDC is the cheapest way to get alternative UL credits. If TESU drops them, it will be almost impossible to get a degree from TESU. I think you might be able to scrape together a generic BALS with UL credits from Coopersmith and Davar but it's definitely a lot easier if you use SDC.

And you can't just take your associate's to COSC or Excelsior and get a degree that way. Excelsior accepts fewer courses than TESU does and COSC has the requirement for 24 RA credits. An associate's from TESU won't matter with them if you got most of the credits through alternate sources and/or sources that they no longer approve of.

But if UL are usually 5 courses, and residency is about same price as 5 courses, one can take the last ones at the college?

You can but they are expensive. Far more than Study.com.