The reality is to “maximize” your chances at a school like Columbia, you’re going to need (if your school offers them) 10+ APs, great grades, rank, test score and the like. The breadth of classes should be wide - maybe it’s not Calc AB but for a social science major it’s AP stats.
My daughter is in international studies and is retaking calc this year - while she got an A in Calc AB, she bombed the test and got a 2.
So colleges still want to see it.
Will one class make the difference? Likely not but you’ll never know - because with the top schools, the margins of what you need and don’t need is so slim. and in the 94% chance there’s a rejection, you’ll never know why.
Better for the OP that is a sophomore, that they get in challenging classes, but classes that with hard work, grit and determination, they can work through.
But even if you have the perfect resume - the odds of Columbia are still long.
The OP should be the best they can be - and in another 18 months, can build a list that includes Columbia if still desired but also has those target and safety schools, whatever they are.