Remember that automatic full tuition plus competitive scholarships for the rest could still be too expensive if you do not get the competitive scholarships for the rest.
Alabama Huntsville with automatic full tuition plus housing may leave remaining costs that can barely be covered by federal direct loan plus some part time work earnings. For lower remaining costs, you may want to add one of the automatic full ride schools listed in #7. You need at least one school that you can afford for sure in case you do not get any of the competitive scholarships that you need at other schools.
This is not correct, the STUDENT will owe the taxes and not the parent but the student may be taxed at the parent’s income tax rate if the kiddie tax kicks in.
What makes them so sure you could just go for free? As you are discovering, needing a full ride limits your educational options and working while going to school for more than “pocket money” adds quite a bit of stress. If you need to work to longer hours to pay your tuition and living costs, you may not be able to take engineering classes full time.