Best game design schools

I'm a 23 year old non-American citizen who would like to explore game design further, but I have no real options in terms of institutions or companies where I'm from.

I might be interested in attending an university in NC that offer game design or game development related majors.

1)Are any of these majors really valued in the actual job market? Is a degree in this field worth anything out there? Or do you have as much of a chance with a self-taught skill set?

2)How well will they prepare someone for the reality of AAA title development?

3) What are the best institutions for game design?

4) Are creative, spontaenous, but not that detail-oriented people valued in the game industry today? (I have some experience with programming, but it's not my forté. I think I'd fair well in design or production, though.)

Thanks in advance for all the help.