<p>Even if you are able to obtain a Goethe certificate, that is no guarantee that you are really fluent enough in oral and written German to function successfully in the university environment described quite accurately above by M’s Mom. Consider this: there are plenty of people who pass the TOEFL and still are not sufficiently fluent in English to compete successfully in an English-language-instruction environment without a lot of outside support. If you want to spend some time studying in a German-speaking country, it’s possible to spend a semester or year abroad on an organized program where you will have some support, rather than being thrown in on your own.</p>
<p>Another thing to consider is contacts and employability when you graduate. If you plan on living and working in the US, it’s probably better to go to a US school.</p>