Meet the Wellington College teen off to Ivy League university in New York

Saturday, 13 January 2024

The chance to study at Columbia University in New York is the realisation of many Kiwi kids’ dreams of studying at Hogwarts, says Wellington College’s former head prefect.

Later this year, 17-year-old Tai Renner will begin his undergraduate degree at the Ivy League university, studying Political Science and Economics, and rowing on the university’s top team.

Renner (Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairoa, Ngāti Rakaipaaka, Ngāti Matangirau) grew up bilingual in Petone and attributed part of his success to standing strong in his Māoritanga.

“Obviously being a young Māori boy from the Hutt it’s hard to imagine yourself at a lead institution like Columbia,” he said.

“The chance to study at an Ivy League university represents the opportunity not only to learn from some of the best educators in the world but to form networks that will last a lifetime.”

Renner said his bilingual background gave him a good grounding for when he started at the college where his great-great-grandfather was a former deputy headmaster.

While his mother hadn’t grown up speaking te reo, or closely connected to her Māoritanga, she was of the generation of the Māori renaissance which served as an inspiration during his schooling years.

“It was a real generational shift for me, my siblings and my cousins to go on that journey ourselves.”

At college, Renner enjoyed politics, classical studies, English and te reo Māori, competing in Ngā Manu Kōrero speaking competitions as well as in the school’s rowing team.

Attending an Ivy League college was not something he believed was possible until gaining an outstanding in one of his scholarship papers, along with excellence endorsements across NCEA level 1, 2 and 3.

“That was the major shift in my mind.”

Renner got the news he had been accepted last month while sitting in the school’s old rowing ute with his childhood coach.

He received a notification about an update to his application which, when opened, started playing a huge brass band with a banner of congratulations in white.

“I was elated. My rowing coach and mates just went nuts. It was pretty surreal.”

Renner also received a scholarship which will help cover some of the costs, and has guaranteed accommodation for the four-year degree.

He was both grateful and excited for the opportunity, and keen to add his own “Māori and New Zealand flavour” to the university.

“It’ll be completely different and make me appreciate what we have here in New Zealand as well.”

Wellington College headmaster Glen Denham said Renner would be a “brilliant ambassador for New Zealand” while attending Columbia University.

“He is the culmination of when outstanding talent meets tremendous work ethic.

“Our Wellington College community is very proud of him and honoured to be part of his whanau.”

Renner will head over in August. Until then, he’s coaching the rowing team at Wellington College and working at Parliament’s visitors’ centre where he has been for the last two years.

His message to others: The opportunity is there and there are people willing to support you. Renner credited Jamie Beaton of Crimson Education with helping him.

“The door hasn’t opened for me and been closed. It’s my job to hold the door open with my foot for others to come after.”

It’s been almost 10 years since Beaton co-founded Crimson Education, and since then they’ve helped thousands of students get into top universities overseas.

“Tai is going with the wonderful legacy of Māori students in the last five years going to these schools,” the now chief executive said.

Though the dream might seem “crazy” or “impossible” to most students, it was possible.

Beaton said one of the biggest challenges was distance, which limited exposure to such opportunities.

Historically, there had also been a lack of information about the “complicated” application process.

The New Zealand curriculum was also challenging, with Beaton describing NCEA as “less vigorous” than overseas counterparts like A levels, International Baccalaureate or the American Advanced Placement.

Finance was less of an issue, though many students used Crimson to help them get financial aid and scholarships which made it more affordable.

Beaton said Kiwis were attractive, even among the world's best students, describing them as being “well rounded” and “natural leaders”.

He encouraged students inspired by Renner’s story to start planning as early as 14 to help improve their chances of a successful application, and to take at least scholarship courses or some of the more challenging courses on offer.