<p>Some “elite” schools with large merit awards are U of Chicago, Duke, Rice, and Emory. For a more complete list see the “Competitive” list already linked.</p>
<p>Question PE-110 of the CSS profile asks for the amount the student’s parents paid for towards their own and any of their children’s student loans in the prior year. </p>
<p>Question PE-115 asks the total student loan amount due for the student’s parents.</p>
<p>How the schools use this information is anyone’s guess, but they are asking the question, so I assume it is factored in somehow.</p>