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In this cross-sectional study, we compared the expectations of level 5 computing students from the university sector (n=161) with a similar cohort of students from the polytechnic sector (n=69). We elicited their expectations of the nature of the skills and knowledge, and the degree of self-management and collaboration, required for their courses. We compared their responses to the expectations set out in the NZQA qualifications framework. We found significant differences between student and framework expectations; student expectations were clearly lower than the framework in all but skills. Overall, we found no significant differences between university and polytechnic students, although polytechnic students had slightly higher expectations of knowledge and collaboration. We note that any misalignment of expectations poses a challenge for educators and suggest practical measures for aligning these expectations.