diff --git a/apps/backend/src/app.module.ts b/apps/backend/src/app.module.ts
index a47cebe..3b0f428 100644
--- a/apps/backend/src/app.module.ts
+++ b/apps/backend/src/app.module.ts
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import { ApplicationsModule } from './applications/applications.module';
       username: process.env.NX_DB_USERNAME,
       password: process.env.NX_DB_PASSWORD,
       autoLoadEntities: true,
+      database: process.env.NX_DB_DATABASE || 'c4c-ops',
       // entities: [join(__dirname, '**/**.entity.{ts,js}')],
       // Setting synchronize: true shouldn't be used in production - otherwise you can lose production data
       synchronize: true,
diff --git a/apps/backend/src/auth/auth.controller.ts b/apps/backend/src/auth/auth.controller.ts
index d621e3a..ca717af 100644
--- a/apps/backend/src/auth/auth.controller.ts
+++ b/apps/backend/src/auth/auth.controller.ts
@@ -61,17 +61,21 @@ export class AuthController {
 
   // TODO will be deprecated if we use Google OAuth
   @Post('/verify')
-  verifyUser(@Body() body: VerifyUserRequestDTO): void {
-    try {
-      this.authService.verifyUser(body.email, String(body.verificationCode));
-    } catch (e) {
-      throw new BadRequestException(e.message);
-    }
+  async verifyUser(@Body() body: VerifyUserRequestDTO) {
+    return await this.authService
+      .verifyUser(body.email, String(body.verificationCode))
+      .catch((err) => {
+        throw new BadRequestException(err.message);
+      });
   }
 
   @Post('/signin')
-  signin(@Body() signInDto: SignInRequestDto): Promise<SignInResponseDto> {
-    return this.authService.signin(signInDto);
+  async signin(
+    @Body() signInDto: SignInRequestDto,
+  ): Promise<SignInResponseDto> {
+    return await this.authService.signin(signInDto).catch((err) => {
+      throw new UnauthorizedException(err.message);
+    });
   }
 
   @Post('/delete/:userId')
diff --git a/apps/backend/src/auth/auth.service.ts b/apps/backend/src/auth/auth.service.ts
index 897a396..603a71d 100644
--- a/apps/backend/src/auth/auth.service.ts
+++ b/apps/backend/src/auth/auth.service.ts
@@ -82,16 +82,22 @@ export class AuthService {
 
   verifyUser(email: string, verificationCode: string): Promise<unknown> {
     return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
-      return new CognitoUser({
+      const cognitoUser = new CognitoUser({
         Username: email,
         Pool: this.userPool,
-      }).confirmRegistration(verificationCode, true, (err, result) => {
-        if (err) {
-          reject(err);
-        } else {
-          resolve(result);
-        }
       });
+
+      return cognitoUser.confirmRegistration(
+        verificationCode,
+        true,
+        (err, result) => {
+          if (err) {
+            reject(err);
+          } else {
+            resolve(result);
+          }
+        },
+      );
     });
   }
 
@@ -108,7 +114,7 @@ export class AuthService {
 
     const cognitoUser = new CognitoUser(userData);
 
-    return new Promise<SignInResponseDto>((resolve, reject) => {
+    return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
       return cognitoUser.authenticateUser(authenticationDetails, {
         onSuccess: (result) => {
           resolve({
diff --git a/apps/backend/src/auth/dtos/verify-user.request.dto.ts b/apps/backend/src/auth/dtos/verify-user.request.dto.ts
index dd695d3..5ea5c3f 100644
--- a/apps/backend/src/auth/dtos/verify-user.request.dto.ts
+++ b/apps/backend/src/auth/dtos/verify-user.request.dto.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
-import { IsEmail, IsNumber } from 'class-validator';
+import { IsEmail, IsNumberString } from 'class-validator';
 
 export class VerifyUserRequestDTO {
   @IsEmail()
   email: string;
 
-  @IsNumber()
+  @IsNumberString()
   verificationCode: number;
 }
diff --git a/apps/backend/src/interceptors/current-user.interceptor.ts b/apps/backend/src/interceptors/current-user.interceptor.ts
index 0e95426..251da7b 100644
--- a/apps/backend/src/interceptors/current-user.interceptor.ts
+++ b/apps/backend/src/interceptors/current-user.interceptor.ts
@@ -24,13 +24,23 @@ export class CurrentUserInterceptor implements NestInterceptor {
       const userEmail = cognitoUserAttributes.find(
         (attribute) => attribute.Name === 'email',
       ).Value;
-      const users = await this.usersService.findByEmail(userEmail);
+      const name = cognitoUserAttributes
+        .find((attribute) => attribute.Name === 'name')
+        .Value.split(' ');
 
-      if (users.length > 0) {
-        const user = users[0];
+      const [firstName, lastName] = [name[0], name.at(-1)];
 
-        request.user = user;
+      // check if the cognito user has a corresponding user in the database
+      const users = await this.usersService.findByEmail(userEmail);
+      let user = null;
+      if (users.length > 0) {
+        // if the user exists, use the user from the database
+        user = users[0];
+      } else {
+        // if the user does not exist, create a new user in the database
+        user = await this.usersService.create(userEmail, firstName, lastName);
       }
+      request.user = user;
     }
 
     return handler.handle();
diff --git a/apps/backend/src/users/users.service.ts b/apps/backend/src/users/users.service.ts
index f45039a..80a9582 100644
--- a/apps/backend/src/users/users.service.ts
+++ b/apps/backend/src/users/users.service.ts
@@ -89,11 +89,12 @@ export class UsersService {
     return user;
   }
 
-  findByEmail(email: string): Promise<User[]> {
-    return this.usersRepository.find({
+  async findByEmail(email: string): Promise<User[]> {
+    const users = await this.usersRepository.find({
       where: { email },
       relations: ['applications'],
     });
+    return users;
   }
 
   async updateUser(
diff --git a/apps/frontend/src/api/apiClient.ts b/apps/frontend/src/api/apiClient.ts
index 89db6b2..70171c0 100644
--- a/apps/frontend/src/api/apiClient.ts
+++ b/apps/frontend/src/api/apiClient.ts
@@ -2,10 +2,19 @@ import axios, { type AxiosInstance, AxiosRequestConfig } from 'axios';
 import type {
   Application,
   applicationRow,
+  ApplicationStage,
 } from '@components/ApplicationTables';
+
 const defaultBaseUrl =
   import.meta.env.VITE_API_BASE_URL ?? 'http://localhost:3000';
 
+type SubmitReviewRequest = {
+  applicantId: number;
+  stage: ApplicationStage;
+  rating: number;
+  content: string;
+};
+
 export class ApiClient {
   private axiosInstance: AxiosInstance;
 
@@ -46,6 +55,17 @@ export class ApiClient {
     })) as Promise<string>;
   }
 
+  public async submitReview(
+    accessToken: string,
+    reviewData: SubmitReviewRequest,
+  ): Promise<void> {
+    return this.post('/api/reviews', reviewData, {
+      headers: {
+        Authorization: `Bearer ${accessToken}`,
+      },
+    }) as Promise<void>;
+  }
+
   private async get(
     path: string,
     // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-explicit-any
@@ -56,9 +76,14 @@ export class ApiClient {
       .then((response) => response.data);
   }
 
-  private async post(path: string, body: unknown): Promise<unknown> {
+  private async post(
+    path: string,
+    body: unknown,
+    // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-explicit-any
+    headers: AxiosRequestConfig<any> | undefined = undefined,
+  ): Promise<unknown> {
     return this.axiosInstance
-      .post(path, body)
+      .post(path, body, headers)
       .then((response) => response.data);
   }
 
diff --git a/apps/frontend/src/app.tsx b/apps/frontend/src/app.tsx
index a51df65..fff9a59 100644
--- a/apps/frontend/src/app.tsx
+++ b/apps/frontend/src/app.tsx
@@ -19,10 +19,6 @@ const router = createBrowserRouter([
 ]);
 
 export const App: React.FC = () => {
-  useEffect(() => {
-    apiClient.getHello().then((res) => console.log(res));
-  }, []);
-
   return <RouterProvider router={router} />;
 };
 
diff --git a/apps/frontend/src/components/ApplicationTables.tsx b/apps/frontend/src/components/ApplicationTables.tsx
index 84a204f..baf8b8f 100644
--- a/apps/frontend/src/components/ApplicationTables.tsx
+++ b/apps/frontend/src/components/ApplicationTables.tsx
@@ -8,12 +8,17 @@ import {
   ListItemText,
   ListItemIcon,
   Button,
+  Dialog,
+  DialogTitle,
+  DialogContent,
+  DialogActions,
+  TextField,
+  Rating,
 } from '@mui/material';
 import { useEffect, useState, useRef } from 'react';
 import apiClient from '@api/apiClient';
 import { DoneOutline } from '@mui/icons-material';
-
-enum ApplicationStage {
+export enum ApplicationStage {
   RESUME = 'RESUME',
   INTERVIEW = 'INTERVIEW',
   ACCEPTED = 'ACCEPTED',
@@ -67,9 +72,10 @@ export type Application = {
   response: Response[];
   numApps: number;
 };
+const TODAY = new Date();
 
 const getCurrentSemester = (): Semester => {
-  const month: number = new Date().getMonth();
+  const month: number = TODAY.getMonth();
   if (month >= 1 && month <= 7) {
     return Semester.FALL; // We will be recruiting for the fall semester during Feb - Aug
   }
@@ -77,7 +83,7 @@ const getCurrentSemester = (): Semester => {
 };
 
 const getCurrentYear = (): number => {
-  return new Date().getFullYear();
+  return TODAY.getFullYear();
 };
 
 export function ApplicationTable() {
@@ -91,6 +97,41 @@ export function ApplicationTable() {
   const [selectedApplication, setSelectedApplication] =
     useState<Application | null>(null);
 
+  const [openReviewModal, setOpenReviewModal] = useState(false);
+  const [reviewComment, setReviewComment] = useState('');
+  const [reviewRating, setReviewRating] = useState<number>(0);
+
+  const handleOpenReviewModal = () => {
+    setOpenReviewModal(true);
+  };
+
+  const handleCloseReviewModal = () => {
+    setOpenReviewModal(false);
+    setReviewComment('');
+  };
+  const stageToSubmit = selectedApplication?.stage || ApplicationStage.ACCEPTED;
+
+  const handleReviewSubmit = async () => {
+    if (!selectedUser || reviewRating === 0 || !reviewComment) {
+      alert('Please select a user, provide a rating, and add a comment.');
+      return;
+    }
+
+    try {
+      await apiClient.submitReview(accessToken, {
+        applicantId: selectedUser.userId,
+        stage: stageToSubmit,
+        rating: reviewRating,
+        content: reviewComment,
+      });
+      alert('Review submitted successfully!');
+      handleCloseReviewModal();
+    } catch (error) {
+      console.error('Error submitting review:', error);
+      alert('Failed to submit review.');
+    }
+  };
+
   const fetchData = async () => {
     const data = await apiClient.getAllApplications(accessToken);
     // Each application needs an id for the DataGrid to work
@@ -102,9 +143,19 @@ export function ApplicationTable() {
     }
   };
 
+  // const getApplication = async (userId: number) => {
+  //   const application = await apiClient.getApplication(accessToken, userId);
+  //   setSelectedApplication(application);
+  // };
+
   const getApplication = async (userId: number) => {
-    const application = await apiClient.getApplication(accessToken, userId);
-    setSelectedApplication(application);
+    try {
+      const application = await apiClient.getApplication(accessToken, userId);
+      setSelectedApplication(application);
+    } catch (error) {
+      console.error('Error fetching application:', error);
+      alert('Failed to fetch application details.');
+    }
   };
 
   const getFullName = async () => {
@@ -113,10 +164,10 @@ export function ApplicationTable() {
 
   useEffect(() => {
     // Access token comes from OAuth redirect uri https://frontend.com/#access_token=access_token
-    const hash = window.location.hash;
-    const accessTokenMatch = hash.match(/access_token=([^&]*)/);
+    const urlParams = new URLSearchParams(window.location.hash.substring(1));
+    const accessTokenMatch = urlParams.get('access_token');
     if (accessTokenMatch) {
-      setAccessToken(accessTokenMatch[1]);
+      setAccessToken(accessTokenMatch);
     }
     isPageRendered.current = false;
   }, []);
@@ -258,10 +309,45 @@ export function ApplicationTable() {
             }}
           >
             <Typography variant="body1">Reviews: None</Typography>
-            <Button variant="contained" size="small">
+            <Button
+              variant="contained"
+              size="small"
+              onClick={handleOpenReviewModal}
+            >
               Start Review
             </Button>
           </Stack>
+          <Dialog open={openReviewModal} onClose={handleCloseReviewModal}>
+            <DialogTitle>Write Review</DialogTitle>
+            <DialogContent>
+              <Stack direction="row" alignItems="center" spacing={2} mb={2}>
+                <Typography variant="body1">Rating:</Typography>
+                <Rating
+                  name="review-rating"
+                  value={reviewRating}
+                  onChange={(_, value) => setReviewRating(value || 0)}
+                  precision={1}
+                />
+              </Stack>
+              <TextField
+                autoFocus
+                margin="dense"
+                id="review"
+                label="Review Comments"
+                type="text"
+                fullWidth
+                multiline
+                rows={4}
+                variant="outlined"
+                value={reviewComment}
+                onChange={(e) => setReviewComment(e.target.value)}
+              />
+            </DialogContent>
+            <DialogActions>
+              <Button onClick={handleCloseReviewModal}>Cancel</Button>
+              <Button onClick={handleReviewSubmit}>Submit Review</Button>
+            </DialogActions>
+          </Dialog>
         </>
       ) : null}
     </Container>