Most schools also use stripes on their belts. A student can earn four stripes, with the next step being the next color belt. The stripes on the belt don't make a difference when it comes to competition, but they are an excellent way to show people how far you have progressed. For example, let's say there's a one-stripe white belt – this is often different in experience compared to a four-stripe white belt. Stripes are relatively informal. In fact, some schools don't even use them, and students might skip multiple strips if their professor feels they are worthy of the next belt.