Despite schools’ claims that they do not consider SAT scores when evaluating applicants I cannot help but think that they still take test scores into account. If a school has two students with comparable grades, ECs, DEI points, etc. where one student submitted a strong SAT and the other did not provide a test score my guess is that the school will admit the SAT student over the other applicant.
Schools that are test optional, however, still might use SAT scores to determine merit awards. I called Michigan Tech about admission requirements and the advisor swore up and down that they did not look at test scores for admission, but they did for financial aid. In fact, there is a matrix of GPAs and SAT scores showing the financial aid on their website.
My advice would be to prep for the SAT or ACT - get tutoring, take practice tests, etc. - and take the test again. Just knowing how the test is scored and getting used to the time pressure can help tremendously.