What's your initial visa? Why J-1? Even though the general policy is the same, USCIS exams each applicant case by case to determine if you have the intention to stay in U.S. In some cases, they would let you adjust your status even if they know you eventually would stay here when you're applying for an F or J visa. Remember what you get from USCIS, is not a real visa. When you step outside US, you need to get a visa stamp before you come back. At that time, you need to provide evidence that you will not permanently migrate to US.