The TOEFL Family Edition is an exam launched by ETS (Educational Testing Service) to meet the concerns of parents regarding their children's English language abilities. It is mainly designed for primary and secondary school students and their families, providing a reference for developing learning plans through evaluating students' English speaking and listening abilities.

During the study abroad application process, the TOEFL scores are usually required materials for applicants. As a supplementary exam, the TOEFL Family Edition can indeed enhance students' competitiveness to a certain extent, but it is not a standardized test score that most study abroad applications must provide.

Firstly, not all schools recognize the standardized test score of the TOEFL Family Edition, so its weight is relatively low for many institutions. Most international students who apply to American universities need to provide scores from the TOEFL IBT (Internet-based Test) or TOEFL PBT (Paper-based Test), which cover four aspects: listening, speaking, reading, and writing.

Secondly, the scoring criteria of the TOEFL Family Edition are different from those of the TOEFL IBT and TOEFL PBT. The Family Edition mainly assesses students' English speaking and listening abilities, while the IBT and PBT comprehensively assess students' English language proficiency. Therefore, the scores of the Family Edition do not have direct reference value in some institutions and majors.

Moreover, although the TOEFL Family Edition is a test in which parents and children participate together, it only partially reflects students' true language expression abilities in an independent environment. In actual study abroad applications, most schools focus more on assessing students' independent thinking and expressing abilities, so the effect of the TOEFL Family Edition may not be as expected.

In conclusion, although the TOEFL Family Edition can serve as an additional assessment tool, it is not a standardized test score that most study abroad applications must provide. During the application process, students should focus on the TOEFL IBT or TOEFL PBT scores as the main reference and prioritize demonstrating their comprehensive abilities. Of course, it is beneficial to showcase one's language skills and parent-child relationship in a diverse way during the application process, which can become a highlight in personal application materials.

As a study abroad application expert, I suggest that applicants should develop suitable preparation plans and choose appropriate standardized tests to showcase their English language abilities based on their specific situations. In the process of preparation, seeking help from professional study abroad institutions, such as WordSunny Study Abroad, which provides tutor counseling services, can help formulate specific and effective preparation plans based on the applicant's actual situation and the requirements of the target institutions to improve competitiveness. However, please note that this is only my personal recommendation, and applicants should make decisions based on their own circumstances.