From what I've seen, the process can be really tricky. A friend of mine tried switching from a tourist visa to a student visa while in the U.S., and they had to show proof of acceptance from a U.S. school, financial ability to pay, and solid reasons for the change. It worked out for them, but it took months of paperwork and waiting—it’s not fast or simple

It’s technically possible, but not guaranteed. You’d need to file a Form I-539 with USCIS to request the change. The key is proving you haven’t violated your current visa status—like overstaying your tourist visa—and showing that your intent was genuine. But it can take a long time to hear back, and some applications get denied.

I’ve heard mixed stories about this. Some people say it’s easier to leave the U.S., get the student visa from a U.S. embassy in their home country, and then re-enter—rather than deal with USCIS’s lengthy processing times for a change of status. But leaving and re-entering adds its own risks

If you’re trying to switch visas without first applying for a school and preparing, it might not even work. The tourist visa doesn’t allow for academic study, so transitioning requires planning ahead, knowing deadlines, and showing proof of why you're making the shift

Someone told me that if you’re already in the U.S., the chances of approval for a change of visa depend a lot on timing. If you apply too close to the expiration of your tourist visa, they might reject it because they think you’re just trying to extend your stay