Since you say you are selecting the that someone can also claim you, your Mom can claim the Tuition Credit (yes, she keeps you on her taxes and you both report the 1098-T).
Yes, you can the exceed $8000 be using the loophole. You report $12,000 taxable scholarship to allow Mom to claim $4000 of expenses to get an (up to) $2500* credit.
Since you also work, owing $1000 would not be unusual (it tells me you have about $10,000 on your W-2).
*If Mom doesn't have enough tax liability to get the full $2500; you should only report $10,000 as taxable scholarship, instead of $12,000.
