Ask her if, in her experience, everything in the United States is the same as it is in Ethiopia. Of course she’ll say no, everything is not exactly the same. Then open a discussion of the things you’ve both experienced that are different. Food, transportation, entertainment, language, etc. Then steer the conversation toward the meaning of the word “college” in the U.S. and how that’s one of the many things that is different between the U.S.and Ethiopia.
Without wishing to hijack the thread with another discussion of USNews, I would point out that you can hardly blame the rest of the world and especially non-English speakers, for thinking national LACs are a consolation prize of some sort when that is exactly how they are treated by USNews. I saw this coming thirty years ago, but, had no idea how dependent internationals would become on that magazine for all their information about American colleges.
However it sounds like this parent wouldn’t accept Harvard College because of the word ‘college’. …
She’s paying for it, so if she doesn’t like the school, you’re not going to go there. There are literally thousands of schools to choose from, so find one that both of you can agree on. She obviously feels strongly about her position on LACs. Really, it’s not worth putting your relationship with your mother in jeopardy over.
Yale, respecting undergraduates, is also called “Yale college”
@coolguy40 The OP hasn’t said their income level. You don’t really know if she can afford to pay anything or not. She does need to fill out FAFSA and the Profile, so the OP at least needs that help. And her reasons are not sensible/logical – can’t blame the kid for trying to figure out a way to educate her.
Adding to your list:
Bradley university, Trinity university, Illinois Wesleyan university, Ohio Wesleyan university 
(All LACs with university in the name)
@MYOS1634 and @oldladyandmom - Yes, the whole Founding College versus Later University designation thing must drive internationals crazy. If I were a first gen immigrant and I saw Harvard College on the return address I would assume it was from Harvard’s school of general studies. As a side note, I would add that for most of the last century Wesleyan (officially chartered as The Wesleyan University because it was the first institution of higher learning with that name), the problem was being stuck with a name they couldn’t possibly live up to. It wasn’t until after they had acquired a billion dollars (in constant 2018 dollars) as a result of a series of windfalls, that by the arrival of the early 1960s, they could make themselves “honest” by establishing five PhD programs (in Math, Chemistry, Bio, Physics and Ethnomusicology.) http://magazine.wesleyan.edu/2017/12/14/all-you-need-to-know-about-wesleyan-history-not-really/