I was 37 when I made the transition from being a retail trader to being a professional. Here is how I did it. I took the series 7 in April of 2007 after being sponsored by Bright Trading, a proprietary firm out in Vegas. I deposited $20k into an account with them,. I used the Securities Training Corporation (STC) materials which I bought myself and spent a month of full-time study in preparation for the test. I passed with an 83% so maybe I studied too much (it is a pass/fail).
After getting licensed, I spent six weeks in Vegas attending Bright's orientation course and boot camp. (The boot camp isn't required, but I wanted the training). I was then extended high levels of leverage through the use of their funds and I now trade remotely from my home office.
Also, having access to that kind of leverage can be devastating if you do not utilize proper risk management. Most prop firms will monitor your risk to protect themselves, but that doesn't mean you can't blow out your account. I have blown out my account, personally, but I am now proud to say that I implement good risk management now and so the leverage has become an awesome tool for me. Based on this, I would recommend extreme caution in making your transition.
Hope that helps and I wish you great success in your own transition!
Sincerely,
Daryl