Chelsea senior Christopher Robinson recently was selected as a National Merit Semifinalist, one of approximately 16,000 seniors across the country to earn the honor.

National Merit Semifinalists are chosen based on PSAT scores from tests taken during their junior years of high school. A group of finalists will be announced in February. This designation qualifies Robinson for entry into the National Merit Scholarship program. The class of 2015 will compete for approximately 7,600 National Merit Scholarships, are valued at about $33 million, that will be offered in the spring.

According to the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, students are chosen for the program “on the basis of their skills, accomplishments, and potential for success in rigorous college studies, without regard to gender, race, ethnic origin, or religious preference.”

Robinson, who will graduate next May, is the first Chelsea student to gain National Merit Semifinalist status since the 2008 graduating class.