College and Microbiology/Biology? Long question?

I've always been interested in the biological field, and I would love to go into Virology. I've kept it loose- not really setting my goals on any one thing yet, but that's my goal, if it will work. I've kept it out of my mind- but now I'm four days away from the summer before my Jr. year in high school, and I think I need to start to think. Yes, I will talk to my counselor, but she's only one person. So, if you can answer ANY of these, please do! Thanks in advance!

1) What is a good salary? I would plan on living in a smaller city or rural area, but obviously I would go where my job takes me. I would plan on living in the US, most likely Midwest. I wouldn't nessacarily need a huge, fancy house, nor a nice car- I currently ride horses, Eventing. I would love to continue this. I would need to allow, to be safe, I'm guessing about 8,000/yr for this.It would be cheaper if I had a house in the country and could keep the horse at home. But I also realize it is very unlikely I will be riding again until I am settled in my job, so who knows? From what I have found, Virologists earn $30-$100,000+, with $53,000 being the norm. Would this be enough to live confortably where I would like to and have leftover for horses?

2) I would plan on getting my undergrad in Biology or Microbiology. I'm just wondering (Yes, I don't know all of the ins and outs of it, I'm sorry if I mess up terminology) if I should consider, when it comes to majors, either doing a double major or minoring in a buisness thing? I want to do something I enjoy, yes. But I also want to be making enough money to do what I enjoy (Riding) and live confortably. I don't know, but it seems like buisiness and financial fields make much more money.

3) If I was to pursue a career in the biological field, say virology, what high school GPA and SAT/ACT scores would I be needing? I currently have a 10.000 GPA on a 12 pt scale, although that may change (Not done yet with this year) We are on the block schedule, so we have 4 classes a day. Freshman year: Enriched (Like smart people) English, Enriched General Science, American Ex (Req.), Spanish I, Algebra, Geometry, Art I, PE (req.). Sophmore year (So far): Higher Algebra, Enriched English 10, Biology (req), Intro to Dance, Health 10 and PE 10 (Req), American History, Word Processing. Right now I am taking Enriched English (It's a semester course) American History (Again, semester course), Biotechnology, and Trig. I'm doing ok- Currently I have As (Solid, +, or -) in everything BUT Trig, which will hopefully be a B. My class rank is about the 28th percentile- however, I really hope Colleges will not count Class rank too highly. My high school is an "Arts Magnet" school- we have a bunch of arts classes and bring in a bunch of kids from the cities who want to take them. We have classes like sewing, Painting I-III, (Same with drawing, dance, and ceramics) and all of the Arts Magnet kids' classes are "Arts Infused"- and very easy. (AI Chem- they get to use notes always, and one of their common assignments was "Draw your scientist's evil nemisis and tell what they would do" ) However, my school doesn't weight grades. So the kid taking AP Calculus who got a B is equal with the kid who got a B in Intro to Dance (We flounced about. Really.) Anyways. Next year I am taking Physics, Chemistry, CIS (College in Schools- it's for College and H.S credit) Phychology, CIS Intro to Lit, CIS Human Anatomy I and II, Pre-Calc, Equine Science, College and Career Prep, and World Cultures (Req.). I was going to take AP Biology but they cancelled it. I plan on doing PSEO my Sr. year. I took the PLAN test and got a 28-32 estimated score for the ACT, and I hear that it is, for the most part, accurate. In the state writing test freshman year, I got a 5.5- 3 is a pass, 6 is the maximum you can earn. I am not part of any school sport or organization, but I am VERY active in the USPC and our local foxhunting group. I have a job. The only reason I am not active in school activities is that I simply cannot donate the time I would have to- My school is considering offering an equestrian team (And recognizing it for lettering) and, if they did, I would join that. (I could simply because most of the reason I don't have enough time is because I have to ride/ do USPC stuff) Do you think I am on the right track? What do I need to improve/add on?

4) Kinda off topic. Only slightly. I have been looking at state schools because of price. But I have heard that many private schools are not as expensive as sticker price because of the grants/aid you can get from them. However, many private colleges are affiliated with a certain religion- and so, obviously, they would like kids of their religion and reward (When deciding who gets grants) those very active in their religion. I count myself as Agnostic. Will this hurt my chances at these colleges? It's not that I worry about being uncomfortable with people of a certain religion- I'm from the "You beli

Actually, alot of this is moot at this point, because to be a virologist you will pretty much need a PhD--so that is so far down the road that salary is unknown. Your bachelors can really be from anywhere relatively decent (many state schools are really fine--put that money towards grad school) as grad school is what is going to make you a virologist. Any major in science will be fine. Everything you are doing now is to get into an undergrad program; a PhD program will not care about all your high school activities. To be a virologist you are more than likely going to have to get employed by the CDC or a university so you will not have the complete choice of where to live--but this is so far away--who knows at that point?? Your focus may be quite different by that time :) Good luck

For 4, many private institutions are only loosely associated with a religion. They welcome students of all types. I interned at Catholic University of America one summer and did not meet a single Catholic person there (if I did, they were not over the top and in my face, trying to convert me). Don't assume just because a school has a religion associated with it means anything. Also, there are a number of private universities that are not tied to any religion.