> This proves either that the College Board's new test isn't working or that students just don't care enough to work hard anymore...or maybe both<
Not all colleges require essays especially large Universities.
Most Colleges are continuing to base admissions on just the verbal and math parts until the new essay section has all its bugs ironed out and it has predictive validity.
Actually most public universities do require application essays, and although colleges currently only care about the math and verbal, starting in 2007, they will start looking at the writing section as well.