i dont know exactly what the rules are. I've gotten info from richard (naples) & now from tony. But here is another story.
I never had a student visa while going to an aviation college. I attended flight training on a I visa (journalist visa). I started training on the 30th of august 2001. School had no problem admitting me & didn't ask for a status change. A few days after Sept 11, the FBI showed up & went through the school files. Interestingly, my file didn't raise a red flag & they didn't even bother to question me. I had no problem attending until June 2002 when i quit for personal reasons.