I see you are not familiar with financial aid as you are listing factors that may not be part of the formula. If you would like the full info, read the financial aid FAQ people here put together.
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1486647-financial-aid-faqs.html#latest
Income and family size is the #1 main driver
also Assets
You are right that if you do qualify for aid, it would not make sense to walk away from it. Encourage your mom to run the Net Price Calculator.
Also, if you work now your student earnings may and savings will be tapped for contributions toward the aid formula. But if you aren’t getting any, then a low hours student job can help you pay for some of your expenses and might be some experience for your resume. Also there was a large study that showed that about 12 to 15 hours a week helped students with time management and keeping grades up (what?) Some colleges have job listings online.