Can i apply for a tourist visa and transfer it to a student type while in China?

Rick, it depends on where you will arrive. If in Beijing, it's possible that you can do that without leaving. In some other places, local entry and exit management bureaus may ask you leave to reapply for X type. Then you'd better get back to USA to apply or find an agent in HK to help you deal with it. The agent fee isn't cheap.